Difference between revisions of "Expressing "almost" using "chadian""

 
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== Literal Meaning ==
 
== Literal Meaning ==
  
It might help to understand the literal meaning of the structure.  The word 差 (chà) has a lot of meanings. In this case, it means "to lack," or "to be short." So in Chinese, the way to say "almost" is to say, "lacking that little bit." If that "little bit" hadn't been lacking, it ''would have'' happened.  But it ''was'' lacking, so it didn't happen。Technically, it ''almost'' happened. Just remember: The fact is always opposite with the verb phrase after "差点(儿)",  whether the verb phrase contains "没" or not.
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It might help to understand the literal meaning of the structure.  The word 差 has a lot of meanings. In this case, it means "to lack," or "to be short." So in Chinese, the way to say "almost" is to say, "lacking that little bit." If that "little bit" hadn't been lacking, it ''would have'' happened.  But it ''was'' lacking, so it didn't happen; it ''almost'' happened. Just remember: the fact of what really happened is always ''NOT'' the verb phrase after 差点(儿).
  
== Basic Structure ==
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== Structure ==
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Note that the "[[Predicate]]" part of the structure is usually something bad or something you don't wish for, and that it '''didn't happen'''.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + 差点 + Predicate
 +
</div>
  
Subj. + 差点(儿) + [Verb Phrase] + 了
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You can put 了 at the end of the sentence for emphasis. In this case, 就 is often used and it's optional.
  
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + 差点 (+就) + Predicate + 了
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Note that the "Verb Phrase" part of the structure is usually something bad or something you don't wish for, and that it '''didn't happen'''. You can put "就" after "差点儿" .
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The [[predicate]] part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我们 队 <em>差点儿</em> <strong></strong> 输 了。 <span class="expl">the team didn't lose</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen duì <em>chàdiǎnr</em> <strong>jiù</strong> shū le. </span><span class="trans">Our team almost lost.</span>
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*车 <em>差点</em> 撞到 我 。<span class="expl">The car didn't hit me.</span><span class="pinyin">Chē <em>chàdiǎn</em> zhuàngdào wǒ.</span><span class="trans">The car almost hit me.</span>
* 雨 很 大,我 <em>差点</em> 回 不 来 了 。 <span class="expl">I actually did make it back, though</span><span class="pinyin">Yǔ hěn dà, wǒ <em>chàdiǎn</em> huí bù lái le.</span><span class="trans">The rain is so heavy I almost couldn't make it back.</span>
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*我们 <em>差点</em> 相信 他 。<span class="expl">We didn't believe him.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>chàdiǎn</em> xiāngxìn tā.</span><span class="trans">We almost believed him.</span>
* 路上 堵车,我 <em>差点儿</em> <strong></strong> 迟到 了 。 <span class="expl">I wasn't late</span><span class="pinyin">Lùshàng dǔchē, wǒ <em>chàdiǎnr</em> <strong>jiù</strong> chídào le.</span><span class="trans">The traffic is bad; I was almost late.</span>
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*他们 <em>差点</em> 打 起来 。<span class="expl">They didn't start fighting.</span><span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>chàdiǎn</em> dǎ qǐlái.</span><span class="trans">They almost started a fight.</span>
* <em>差点</em> 了 。 <span class="expl">I didn't forget. </span><span class="pinyin"><em>chàdiǎn</em> wàng le. </span><span class="trans">I almost forgot. </span>
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*<em>差点</em> 忘 <strong></strong> 。<span class="expl">I didn't forget.</span><span class="pinyin"><em>chàdiǎn</em> wàng <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I almost forgot.</span>
* <em>差点</em> 一 个 大 错 。 <span class="expl">I didn't make a big mistake</span><span class="pinyin"><em>chàdiǎn</em> fàn le yī gè dà cuò.</span><span class="trans">I nearly made a big mistake.</span>
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*我 今天 <em>差点</em> 迟到 <strong></strong> 。 <span class="expl">I wasn't late.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān <em>chàdiǎn</em> chídào <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I was almost late today.</span>
* <em>差点</em> <strong></strong> 撞到 我 了。<span class="expl">The car didn't hit me. </span><span class="pinyin">Chē <em>chàdiǎn</em> <strong>jiù</strong> zhuàngdào wǒ le. </span><span class="trans">The car almost hit me. </span>
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*<em>差点</em> 疯 <strong></strong> 。<span class="expl">She didn't go crazy.</span><span class="pinyin"><em>chàdiǎn</em> fēng <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">She almost went crazy.</span>
* 我们 高兴 得 <em>差点儿</em> 哭 出来。 <span class="expl">We didn't cry. </span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gāoxìng de <em>chàdiǎn</em> kū chūlái. </span><span class="trans">We were so happy that we almost cried. </span>
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*<em>差点</em> <strong>就</strong> 死 <strong></strong> 。<span class="expl">He didn't die.</span><span class="pinyin"><em>chàdiǎn</em> <strong>jiù</strong> sǐ <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">He almost died.</span>
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*<em>差点</em> <strong></strong> <span class="expl">It wasn't burned.</span><span class="pinyin">Cài <em>chàdiǎn</em> <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The food was almost burned.</span>
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*我们 <em>差点</em> 输 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="expl">The team didn't lose.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen duì <em>chàdiǎn</em> shū <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Our team almost lost.</span>
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*我 <em>差点</em> <strong>就</strong> 打 他 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="expl">I didn't actually do it.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎn</em> <strong>jiù</strong> dǎ tā <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I almost hit him.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Using 差点 with 没==
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== Using 差点 with 没 ==
  
This can get confusing, even though it's really the same pattern (and same logic) with a little added complexity. This pattern goes beyond the difficulty level of the needs of the B1 learner, so to learn more about this usage, see [[expressing "almost" using "chadian mei"]].
+
This can get confusing, even though it's really the same pattern (and same logic) with a little added complexity. This pattern goes beyond the difficulty level of the needs of the B1 learner, so to learn more about this usage, see [[Expressing "almost" using "chadian mei"|expressing "almost" using "chadian mei."]]
  
==See also==
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== See also ==
  
 
*[["Nearly" with "jihu"]]
 
*[["Nearly" with "jihu"]]
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[现代汉语八百词(增订本)]] (pp. 112) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
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{{Source|现代汉语八百词(增订本)|112}}
*[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册)]] (p. 341)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy]
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{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册)|341}}
  
 
=== Dictionaries ===
 
=== Dictionaries ===
  
* [[现代汉语词典(第5版)]] (pp. 145) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]
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{{Source|现代汉语词典(第5版)|145}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|差点|B1|Subj. + 差点(儿) + Verb + |看到 妈妈 走 了,她 <em>差点</em> 哭 了。|grammar point|ASG6ESWW}}
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{{HSK|HSK4}}
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{{Basic Grammar|差点|B1|Subj. + 差点 + Predicate|我 今天 <em>差点儿</em> 迟到 <em></em> |grammar point|ASG6ESWW}}
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{{Rel char|了}}
 
{{Similar|"Nearly" with "jihu"}}  
 
{{Similar|"Nearly" with "jihu"}}  
 
{{Similar|Expressing "almost" using "chadianmei"}}   
 
{{Similar|Expressing "almost" using "chadianmei"}}   

Latest revision as of 07:57, 14 May 2019

To say that something bad almost happened (but didn't), you can add the word 差点 (chàdiǎn) before the verb. You will also hear 差点儿 (chàdiǎnr) in northern China. There is no difference in meaning between 差点 and 差点儿.

Literal Meaning

It might help to understand the literal meaning of the structure. The word 差 has a lot of meanings. In this case, it means "to lack," or "to be short." So in Chinese, the way to say "almost" is to say, "lacking that little bit." If that "little bit" hadn't been lacking, it would have happened. But it was lacking, so it didn't happen; it almost happened. Just remember: the fact of what really happened is always NOT the verb phrase after 差点(儿).

Structure

Note that the "Predicate" part of the structure is usually something bad or something you don't wish for, and that it didn't happen.

Subj. + 差点 + Predicate

You can put 了 at the end of the sentence for emphasis. In this case, 就 is often used and it's optional.

Subj. + 差点 (+就) + Predicate + 了

The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.

Examples

  • 差点 撞到 我 。The car didn't hit me.Chē chàdiǎn zhuàngdào wǒ.The car almost hit me.
  • 我们 差点 相信 他 。We didn't believe him.Wǒmen chàdiǎn xiāngxìn tā.We almost believed him.
  • 他们 差点 打 起来 。They didn't start fighting.Tāmen chàdiǎn dǎ qǐlái.They almost started a fight.
  • 差点I didn't forget.chàdiǎn wàng le.I almost forgot.
  • 我 今天 差点 迟到 I wasn't late.Wǒ jīntiān chàdiǎn chídào le.I was almost late today.
  • 差点She didn't go crazy.chàdiǎn fēng le.She almost went crazy.
  • 差点 He didn't die.chàdiǎn jiùle.He almost died.
  • 差点It wasn't burned.Cài chàdiǎnle.The food was almost burned.
  • 我们 队 差点The team didn't lose.Wǒmen duì chàdiǎn shū le.Our team almost lost.
  • 差点 打 他 I didn't actually do it.chàdiǎn jiù dǎ tā le.I almost hit him.

Using 差点 with 没

This can get confusing, even though it's really the same pattern (and same logic) with a little added complexity. This pattern goes beyond the difficulty level of the needs of the B1 learner, so to learn more about this usage, see expressing "almost" using "chadian mei."

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries