Difference between revisions of "Superlative "zui""

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* 哪 个 老师 <em>最</em> 好? <span class="pinyin">Nǎ ge lǎshī <em>zuì</em>hǎo? </span> <span class="trans">Which teacher is the best?</span>
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* 哪 个 老师 <em>最</em> 好?<span class="pinyin">Nǎ ge lǎshī <em>zuì</em>hǎo? </span> <span class="trans">Which teacher is the best? </span>
* 你们 家 谁 <em>最</em> 漂亮 ?<span class="pinyin">nīmen jiā shéi <em>zuì</em> piàoliang?</span> <span class="trans">In your family who is the most beautiful?</span>
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* 你们 家 谁 <em>最</em> 漂亮?<span class="pinyin">Nīmen jiā shéi <em>zuì</em> piàoliang? </span> <span class="trans">In your family who is the most beautiful? </span>
* Bill Gates <em>最</em> 有钱 。 <span class="pinyin">Bill Gates <em>zuì</em> yǒuqián.</span> <span class="trans"> Bill Gates is the richest.</span>
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* Bill Gates <em>最</em> 有钱。 <span class="pinyin">Bill Gates <em>zuì</em> yǒuqián. </span> <span class="trans"> Bill Gates is the richest. </span>
* 汉语 <em>最</em> 难。 <span class="pinyin">Hànyǔ <em>zuì</em> nán.</span> <span class="trans">The Chinese language is the most difficult.</span>
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* 汉语 <em>最</em> 难。 <span class="pinyin">Hànyǔ <em>zuì</em> nán. </span> <span class="trans">The Chinese language is the most difficult. </span>
* 这 种 事 <em>最</em> 麻烦 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng shì <em>zuì</em> máfan.</span> <span class="trans">These kind of things are the most troublesome.</span>
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* 这 种 事 <em>最</em> 麻烦。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng shì <em>zuì</em> máfan. </span> <span class="trans">These kind of things are the most troublesome. </span>
  
 
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Revision as of 01:12, 12 November 2015

The most common way to form a superlative (best, worst, biggest, smallest, etc.) in Chinese is to use 最 (zuì) before an adjective.

最 with Adjectives

Structure

The structure is:

最 + Adj.

And now you have the superlative form of the adjective. Unlike in English, this structure is consistent for all adjectives in Chinese. The inconsistencies in English sometimes confuse beginners, so note in the examples below how to say "best," "worst," "least," and "most" (meaning "greatest number").

Examples

  • 哪 个 老师 好?Nǎ ge lǎshī zuìhǎo? Which teacher is the best?
  • 你们 家 谁 漂亮?Nīmen jiā shéi zuì piàoliang? In your family who is the most beautiful?
  • Bill Gates 有钱。 Bill Gates zuì yǒuqián. Bill Gates is the richest.
  • 汉语 难。 Hànyǔ zuì nán. The Chinese language is the most difficult.
  • 这 种 事 麻烦。 Zhè zhǒng shì zuì máfan. These kind of things are the most troublesome.

Optional 了

Occasionally you'll also see a 了 (le) added after the adjective. This simply adds emphasis to the "-est."

Structure

最 + Adj. (+ 了)

Examples

  • (This 了 is optional)zuì shòu le. You are the skinniest.
  • 四川菜 (This 了 is optional)SÌchuān cài zuìle. Sichuan food is the spiciest.
  • 我 的 中国 朋友 热情 (This 了 is optional)Wǒ de Zhōngguó péngyou zuì rèqíng le. My Chinese friend is the most enthusiastic.
  • 他 的 学生 认真 (This 了 is optional)Tā de xuéshēng zuì rènzhēn le. His student is the most serious.
  • 黄山 的 风景 (This 了 is optional)Huángshān de fēngjǐng zuì měi le. Huang Mountain's landscape is the most beautiful.

最 with Psychological Verbs

最 (zuì) can also come before psychological verbs, to express what one "most likes," "most hates," etc. It won't make sense if you try to use 最 (zuì) with non-psychological verbs, though.

Structure

The structure is:

最 + [Psychological Verb] (+ 了)

Examples

  • 老板 喜欢 你 了 ! Lǎobǎn zuì xǐhuan nǐ le! The boss likes you the best!
  • 怕 蛇 。 zuì pà shé. I most fear snakes.
  • 想 去 的 地方 是 西班牙 。 zuì xiǎng qù de dìfang shì Xībānyá. The place I most want to go is Spain.
  • 了解 你? Shéi zuì liǎojiě nǐ? Who most knows you?
  • 讨厌 抽烟 的 男人 了。 zuì tǎo yàn chōuyān de nánrén 了. She most hates men that smoke.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books