Difference between revisions of "Potential complement "-bu dong" for not understanding"
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{{Grammar Box}}
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Chinese learners often have to express that they don't understand something, especially in the beginning when they start learning. One of the ways to express that is to use the 不懂 (bù dǒng) verb complement.
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== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
  
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The [[potential complement]] 不懂 is used to talk about things that can't be understood. Note that this is about ''potential'' - the subject doesn't have the ability to understand. The structure is:
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Yes, 不懂 (bù dǒng) by itself simply means "not understand," and you can use it this way. But you'll find that more often, it follows a verb. When used this way, it is a [[complement]].
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The [[potential complement]] 不懂 (bù dǒng) is used to talk about things that can't be understood. Note that this is about ''potential'': the subject doesn't have the ''ability'' to understand.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
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Subject + Perception verb + 不懂
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Subj. + Verb + 不懂
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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The 不懂 (bù dǒng) may also be swapped out with 不明白 (bù míngbai).
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 我 看 <em>不懂</em> 中文 的 报纸。
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* 我 <strong>看</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 这 本 书。<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">Literally, "read-not-understand"</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>kàn</strong> <em>bu dǒng</em> zhè běn shū.</span><span class="trans">I don't understand the book.</span>
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* 我 听 <em>不懂</em> 南方人 说 的 话。
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* 孩子们 <strong>看</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 你 写 的 汉字。<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">Literally, "read-not-understand"</span><span class="pinyin">Háizi men <strong>kàn</strong> <em>bu dǒng</em> nǐ xiě de Hànzì.</span><span class="trans">Kids don't understand the characters that you wrote.</span>
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* 很 多 人 看 <em>不懂</em> 古代 汉语。
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* 你 <strong>看</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 我 的 邮件 吗？<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">Literally, "read-not-understand"</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>kàn</strong> <em>bu dǒng</em> wǒ de yóujiàn ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you not understand my emails?</span>
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* 老板 的 中文 说 得 很好，可是 他 <strong>看</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 中文 报纸。 <span class="expl pdf-long-expl">Literally, "read-not-understand"</span><span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn de Zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo, kěshì tā <strong>kàn</strong> <em>bu dǒng</em> Zhōngwén bàozhǐ.</span><span class="trans">The boss speaks very good Chinese, but he doesn't understand Chinese newspapers.</span>
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* 我 <strong>听</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 上海话 。 <span class="expl pdf-long-expl">Literally, "hear-not-understand"</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>tīng</strong> <em>bu dǒng</em> Shànghǎi-huà.</span><span class="trans">I don't understand Shanghai dialect.</span>
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* 你们 <strong>听</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 我 的 话 吗？<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">Literally, "hear-not-understand"</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <strong>tīng</strong> <em>bu dǒng</em> wǒ de huà ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you not understand what I say?</span>
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* 我 <strong>听</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 你 说 的 英语。 <span class="expl pdf-long-expl">Literally, "hear-not-understand"</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>tīng</strong> <em>bu dǒng</em> nǐ shuō de Yīngyǔ.</span><span class="trans">I don't understand your English.</span>
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* 我们 都 <strong>听</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 你 的 意思。 <span class="expl pdf-long-expl">Literally, "hear-not-understand"</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <strong>tīng</strong> <em>bu dǒng</em> nǐ de yìsi.</span><span class="trans">None of us understand what you mean.</span>
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* 很 多 人 <strong>读</strong> <em>不懂</em> 这 本 书 。 <span class="expl pdf-long-expl">Literally, "read-not-understand"</span><span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén <strong> dú </strong> <em>bu dǒng</em> zhè běn shū.</span><span class="trans">Many people don't understand this book.</span>
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* 这 个 句子 很 难， 学生们 都 <strong>读</strong> <em>不 懂</em>。 <span class="expl pdf-long-expl">Literally, "read-not-understand"</span><span class="pinyin">Zhège jùzi hěn nán, xuéshengmen dōu <strong> dú </strong> <em>bu dǒng</em>.</span><span class="trans">This sentence is very difficult. None of the students understand.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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*[[Potential complement "bu xia"]]
 
*[[Potential complement "bu xia"]]
 
*[[Positive and negative potential complements]]
 
*[[Positive and negative potential complements]]
  
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== Sources and further reading ==
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== Sources and further reading ==
  
 
=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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* [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) ]] (pp. 242 - 243, pp. 271 - 329) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy]
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{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) |242-3, 271 - 329}}
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* [[Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) ]] (Chapter 6: Complements) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B0041UGAJU&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B0041UGAJU →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) |Chapter 6: Complements}}
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* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (pp. 200 - 201) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|200 - 201}}
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* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 87 - 88) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)|87-8}}
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* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 97-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|97-9}}
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* [[Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)]] (pp, 186-187) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001N6R7DI&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001N6R7DI →buy]
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{{Source|Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) |186-7}}
  
 
=== Websites ===
 
=== Websites ===
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[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
 
[[Category:Potential complement]]
 
[[Category:Potential complement]]
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{{Used for|Expressing result}}
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{{Used for|Comprehending}}
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{{Basic Grammar|懂|A2|Verb + 不懂|我 听不<em>懂</em> 。|grammar point|ASG8R2V8}}
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{{Rel char|不懂}}
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{{Similar|Result complement}}
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{{Similar|Potential complement}}
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{{Structure|Complements}}

Latest revision as of 08:56, 21 April 2021

Chinese learners often have to express that they don't understand something, especially in the beginning when they start learning. One of the ways to express that is to use the 不懂 (bù dǒng) verb complement.

Structure

Yes, 不懂 (bù dǒng) by itself simply means "not understand," and you can use it this way. But you'll find that more often, it follows a verb. When used this way, it is a complement.

The potential complement 不懂 (bù dǒng) is used to talk about things that can't be understood. Note that this is about potential: the subject doesn't have the ability to understand.

Subj. + Verb + 不懂

The 不懂 (bù dǒng) may also be swapped out with 不明白 (bù míngbai).

Examples

  • 我 看 不 懂 这 本 书。Literally, "read-not-understand"Wǒ kàn bu dǒng zhè běn shū.I don't understand the book.
  • 孩子们 看 不 懂 你 写 的 汉字。Literally, "read-not-understand"Háizi men kàn bu dǒng nǐ xiě de Hànzì.Kids don't understand the characters that you wrote.
  • 你 看 不 懂 我 的 邮件 吗？Literally, "read-not-understand"Nǐ kàn bu dǒng wǒ de yóujiàn ma?Do you not understand my emails?
  • 老板 的 中文 说 得 很好，可是 他 看 不 懂 中文 报纸。 Literally, "read-not-understand"Lǎobǎn de Zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo, kěshì tā kàn bu dǒng Zhōngwén bàozhǐ.The boss speaks very good Chinese, but he doesn't understand Chinese newspapers.
  • 我 听 不 懂 上海话 。 Literally, "hear-not-understand"Wǒ tīng bu dǒng Shànghǎi-huà.I don't understand Shanghai dialect.
  • 你们 听 不 懂 我 的 话 吗？Literally, "hear-not-understand"Nǐmen tīng bu dǒng wǒ de huà ma?Do you not understand what I say?
  • 我 听 不 懂 你 说 的 英语。 Literally, "hear-not-understand"Wǒ tīng bu dǒng nǐ shuō de Yīngyǔ.I don't understand your English.
  • 我们 都 听 不 懂 你 的 意思。 Literally, "hear-not-understand"Wǒmen dōu tīng bu dǒng nǐ de yìsi.None of us understand what you mean.
  • 很 多 人 读 不懂 这 本 书 。 Literally, "read-not-understand"Hěn duō rén dú bu dǒng zhè běn shū.Many people don't understand this book.
  • 这 个 句子 很 难， 学生们 都 读 不 懂。 Literally, "read-not-understand"Zhège jùzi hěn nán, xuéshengmen dōu dú bu dǒng.This sentence is very difficult. None of the students understand.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites

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