Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not very" with "bu tai""
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You may be familiar with using [[Expressing "excessively" with tai|太 (tài) to express "too"]] in the sense of "too expensive." There's a similar pattern in the negative, which just means "not very" or "not so" (literally "not too"). Note that this pattern does not normally use 了 (le). | You may be familiar with using [[Expressing "excessively" with tai|太 (tài) to express "too"]] in the sense of "too expensive." There's a similar pattern in the negative, which just means "not very" or "not so" (literally "not too"). Note that this pattern does not normally use 了 (le). | ||
− | == Structure == | + | == “不太”后跟形容词 == |
+ | |||
+ | === Structure with Adjective === | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
Line 12: | Line 14: | ||
Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives. See below for more info. | Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives. See below for more info. | ||
− | == Examples == | + | === Examples with Adjective === |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
− | + | * 他 <em>不 太</em> 高兴。<span class="spaced">He is not too happy.</span> | |
− | + | * 她 <em>不 太</em> 漂亮。<span class="spaced">She is not too pretty.</span> | |
− | + | * 老师 <em>不 太</em> 友好。<span class="spaced">The teacher is not too friendly.</span> | |
− | + | * 北京 <em>不 太</em> 舒服。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | + | * 这 个 店 的 衣服 <em>不 太</em> 贵。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | + | * 我 觉得 他 <em>不 太</em> 聪明。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | + | * 这 个 房间 <em>不 太</em> 大。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | + | * 那 个 地方 <em>不 太</em> 远。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | + | * 这 个 苹果 <em>不 太</em> 好吃。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | + | * 现在 <em>不 太</em> 热。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
− | ==Structure with | + | ==“不太”后跟动词== |
+ | |||
+ | ===Structure with Verbs=== | ||
− | This pattern can be used with | + | This pattern can be used with some psychological verbs (e.g. 喜欢, 想,明白), as in the next two examples.这些动词比较有限,例句中列出的都是常用的。当然“不太”也可以跟能愿动词一起用,但是这个用法是用于对某事发生的可能性的推测。 |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
Line 40: | Line 43: | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
− | == Examples== | + | === Examples with Verbs === |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
− | + | * 我 <em>不 太</em> 喜欢 我 的 工作。<span class="spaced">I don't really like my job.</span> | |
− | + | * 他 <em>不 太</em> 想 去 。<span class="spaced">He doesn't really want to go.</span> | |
− | + | * 我 <em>不 太</em> 想 我 的 家人。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | + | * 我 <em>不 太</em> 理解 你 的 做法。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | + | * 女人 <em>不 太</em> 关心 政治。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | + | * 我觉得你 <em>不 太</em> 了解 我们 公司。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | + | * 我 <em>不 太</em> 相信 他 已经 结婚 了。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | + | * 我 <em>不 太</em> 明白 你 的 意思。<span class="spaced"></span> | |
− | |||
</div> | </div> |
Revision as of 07:09, 11 September 2013
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
You may be familiar with using 太 (tài) to express "too" in the sense of "too expensive." There's a similar pattern in the negative, which just means "not very" or "not so" (literally "not too"). Note that this pattern does not normally use 了 (le).
Contents
“不太”后跟形容词
Structure with Adjective
Subject + 不太 + Adjective
Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives. See below for more info.
Examples with Adjective
- 他 不 太 高兴。He is not too happy.
- 她 不 太 漂亮。She is not too pretty.
- 老师 不 太 友好。The teacher is not too friendly.
- 北京 不 太 舒服。
- 这 个 店 的 衣服 不 太 贵。
- 我 觉得 他 不 太 聪明。
- 这 个 房间 不 太 大。
- 那 个 地方 不 太 远。
- 这 个 苹果 不 太 好吃。
- 现在 不 太 热。
“不太”后跟动词
Structure with Verbs
This pattern can be used with some psychological verbs (e.g. 喜欢, 想,明白), as in the next two examples.这些动词比较有限,例句中列出的都是常用的。当然“不太”也可以跟能愿动词一起用,但是这个用法是用于对某事发生的可能性的推测。
Subject + 不太 + Verb
Examples with Verbs
- 我 不 太 喜欢 我 的 工作。I don't really like my job.
- 他 不 太 想 去 。He doesn't really want to go.
- 我 不 太 想 我 的 家人。
- 我 不 太 理解 你 的 做法。
- 女人 不 太 关心 政治。
- 我觉得你 不 太 了解 我们 公司。
- 我 不 太 相信 他 已经 结婚 了。
- 我 不 太 明白 你 的 意思。
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 200) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (pp. 180-1) →buy