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

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
Logically, 差点没 is not that different from [[expressing "almost" using "chadian"|差点]].  In fact, you shouldn't think of it as a single word; think of the 没 as belonging to what follows 差点 and it makes more sense.  Still, it can be a little confusing, and is worth a closer look.
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Logically, 差点没 (chàdiǎn méi) is just a simple extension of [[expressing "almost" using "chadian"|差点]], adding the negation after it.  In fact, you shouldn't think of it as a single word; think of the 没 as belonging to what follows 差点 and it makes more sense.  Still, it can be a little confusing for many learners, and is worth a closer look.
  
 
== Logical Structure ==
 
== Logical Structure ==
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Obviously, 差点 and 差点儿 are equivalent here.
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===Structure===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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</div>
 
</div>
  
Note that the "Verb Phrase" part is a desired result.  So this structure is literally saying, "almost '''didn't''' [Verb Phrase]."
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Note that the "Verb Phrase" part is a ''desired result''.  So this structure is literally saying, "almost '''didn't''' [Verb Phrase]."
  
 
Also note that because you're using 没, you don't use 了 after the verb phrase.
 
Also note that because you're using 没, you don't use 了 after the verb phrase.
  
== Examples ==
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 +
* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em> 想 起来。<span class="expl">I did recall it.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> xiǎng qǐlái.</span><span class="trans">I almost couldn't recall it.</span>
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* 我 <em>差点 没</em> 赶 上 火车。 <span class="expl">I almost missed it, but I didn't.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎn méi</em> gǎnshàng huǒchē.</span><span class="trans">I almost missed the train.</span>
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* 他 <em>差点 没</em> 通过 考试。<span class="expl">He did pass it, but almost didn't.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā <em>chàdiǎn méi</em> tōngguò kǎoshì.</span><span class="trans">He barely passed the examination.</span>
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* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em> 拿到 签证。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> nádào qiānzhèng.</span><span class="trans">I almost didn't get the visa.</span>
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* 排队 的 人 太 多 了,<em>差点儿 没</em> 买到。<span class="expl">I did get it.</span><span class="pinyin">Páiduì de rén tài duō le, <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> mǎidào.</span><span class="trans">The waiting line is too long. I almost didn't get it.</span>
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* 他们 两个 <em>差点儿 没</em> 通过 面试 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen liǎng gè <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> tōngguò miànshì.</span><span class="trans">The two of them almost didn't pass the interview.</span>
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</div>
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== Illogical Structure ==
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This is the weird one. In the following usages, 差点 and 差点没 are ''equivalent''. It's almost as if the 没 is meaningless. You can literally drop it with no change in meaning, but ''only'' when there is an ''undesired result'' after 差点没.
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 +
===Structure===
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 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
 +
Subj. + 差点 (+ 没) + Verb Phrase
  
* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em> 想 起来。<span class="expl">I did remember it</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> xiǎng qǐlái.</span><span class="trans">I almost forgot it.</span>
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</div>
* 我 <em>差点 </em> 赶 上 火车。 <span class="expl">I almost missed it, but I didn't.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎn méi</em> gǎnshàng huǒchē.</span><span class="trans">I didn't miss the train.</span>
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* 他 <em>差点 没</em> 通过 考试。<span class="expl">He did pass it.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā <em>chàdiǎn méi</em> tōngguò kǎoshì.</span><span class="trans">He barely passed the examination.</span>
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In this pattern, the "Verb Phrase" part is an '''''un'''desired result''So in terms of meaning, this structure is identical to the regular 差点 structure.
* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em> 买到 火车票。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> mǎi dào huǒchē piào.</span><span class="trans">I almost didn't get a train ticket.</span>
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* 他们 两个 <em>差点儿 没</em> 打 起来。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen liǎng gè <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> dǎ qǐlái.</span><span class="trans">The two of them almost got into a fight.</span>
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Again, because you're using here, you don't use 了 after the verb phrase.
 +
 
 +
=== Examples ===
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 
* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em> 和 她 撞 在 一起。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> hé tā zhuàng zài yīqǐ.</span><span class="trans">I almost ran into her.</span>
 
* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em> 和 她 撞 在 一起。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> hé tā zhuàng zài yīqǐ.</span><span class="trans">I almost ran into her.</span>
* 这个 地方 太 大 了,我 走 了 很 久,<em>差点儿 没</em> 累 死。<span class="pinyin">Zhège dìfāng tài dàle, wǒ zǒu le hěnjiǔ, chàdiǎnr méi lèi sǐ.</span><span class="trans">This place is too big, I walked for so long I almost died from exhaustion.</span>
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* 这个 地方 太 大 了,我 走 了 很 久,<em>差点儿 没</em> 累 死。<span class="pinyin">Zhège dìfang tài dà le, wǒ zǒu le hěn jiǔ, chàdiǎnr méi lèi sǐ.</span><span class="trans">This place is so big. I walked for so long I almost died from exhaustion.</span>
* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em>被 发现。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> bèi fāxiàn.</span><span class="trans">I was almost detected.</span>
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* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em> 被 发现。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> bèi fāxiàn.</span><span class="trans">I was almost discovered.</span>
* 这里 <em>差点儿 没</em> 变成 一 个 垃圾场。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> biàn chéng yīgè lèsè chǎng.</span><span class="trans">This place became like a dump.</span>
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* 这里 <em>差点儿 没</em> 变成 一 个 垃圾场。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> biànchéng yī gè lājī chǎng.</span><span class="trans">This place has almost become a dump.</span>
* 排队 的 人 太 多 了,<em>差点儿 没</em> 买到。<span class="expl">I did get it.</span><span class="pinyin">Páiduì de rén tài duō le, <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> mǎidào.</span><span class="trans">The waiting line is too long. I almost didn't get it.</span>
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  

Latest revision as of 06:56, 11 December 2020

Chinese-grammar-wiki-差点.jpg

Logically, 差点没 (chàdiǎn méi) is just a simple extension of 差点, adding the negation after it. In fact, you shouldn't think of it as a single word; think of the 没 as belonging to what follows 差点 and it makes more sense. Still, it can be a little confusing for many learners, and is worth a closer look.

Logical Structure

Obviously, 差点 and 差点儿 are equivalent here.

Structure

Subj. + 差点 + 没 + Verb Phrase

Note that the "Verb Phrase" part is a desired result. So this structure is literally saying, "almost didn't [Verb Phrase]."

Also note that because you're using 没, you don't use 了 after the verb phrase.

Examples

  • 差点儿 没 想 起来。I did recall it.chàdiǎnr méi xiǎng qǐlái.I almost couldn't recall it.
  • 差点 没 赶 上 火车。 I almost missed it, but I didn't.chàdiǎn méi gǎnshàng huǒchē.I almost missed the train.
  • 差点 没 通过 考试。He did pass it, but almost didn't.chàdiǎn méi tōngguò kǎoshì.He barely passed the examination.
  • 差点儿 没 拿到 签证。chàdiǎnr méi nádào qiānzhèng.I almost didn't get the visa.
  • 排队 的 人 太 多 了,差点儿 没 买到。I did get it.Páiduì de rén tài duō le, chàdiǎnr méi mǎidào.The waiting line is too long. I almost didn't get it.
  • 他们 两个 差点儿 没 通过 面试 。Tāmen liǎng gè chàdiǎnr méi tōngguò miànshì.The two of them almost didn't pass the interview.

Illogical Structure

This is the weird one. In the following usages, 差点 and 差点没 are equivalent. It's almost as if the 没 is meaningless. You can literally drop it with no change in meaning, but only when there is an undesired result after 差点没.

Structure

Subj. + 差点 (+ 没) + Verb Phrase

In this pattern, the "Verb Phrase" part is an undesired result. So in terms of meaning, this structure is identical to the regular 差点 structure.

Again, because you're using 没 here, you don't use 了 after the verb phrase.

Examples

  • 差点儿 没 和 她 撞 在 一起。chàdiǎnr méi hé tā zhuàng zài yīqǐ.I almost ran into her.
  • 这个 地方 太 大 了,我 走 了 很 久,差点儿 没 累 死。Zhège dìfang tài dà le, wǒ zǒu le hěn jiǔ, chàdiǎnr méi lèi sǐ.This place is so big. I walked for so long I almost died from exhaustion.
  • 差点儿 没 被 发现。chàdiǎnr méi bèi fāxiàn.I was almost discovered.
  • 这里 差点儿 没 变成 一 个 垃圾场。Zhèlǐ chàdiǎnr méi biànchéng yī gè lājī chǎng.This place has almost become a dump.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

Websites

HSK5