Difference between revisions of "Potential complement "-bu dong" for not understanding"
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* 我 <strong>看</strong> <em>不懂</em> 中文 的 报纸 。 <span class="expl">(Literally: I see-not-understand Chinese newspapers.)</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>kàn</strong> <em>bùdǒng</em> Zhōngwén de bàozhǐ.</span> <span class="trans">I don't understand Chinese newspapers.</span> | * 我 <strong>看</strong> <em>不懂</em> 中文 的 报纸 。 <span class="expl">(Literally: I see-not-understand Chinese newspapers.)</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>kàn</strong> <em>bùdǒng</em> Zhōngwén de bàozhǐ.</span> <span class="trans">I don't understand Chinese newspapers.</span> | ||
| − | * 我 <strong>听</strong> <em>不懂</em> | + | * 我 <strong>听</strong> <em>不懂</em> 上海话。 <span class="expl">(Literally: I hear-not-understand Shanghai dialect.)</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>tīng</strong> <em>bùdǒng</em> Shànghǎi huà.</span> <span class="trans">I don't understand Shanghai dialect.</span> |
* 很 多 人 <strong>读</strong> <em>不懂</em> 这 本 书 。 <span class="expl">(Literally: Many people read-not-understand this book.)</span><span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén <strong> dú </strong> <em>bùdǒng</em> zhè běn shū.</span> <span class="trans">Many people don't understand this book.</span> | * 很 多 人 <strong>读</strong> <em>不懂</em> 这 本 书 。 <span class="expl">(Literally: Many people read-not-understand this book.)</span><span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén <strong> dú </strong> <em>bùdǒng</em> zhè běn shū.</span> <span class="trans">Many people don't understand this book.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | * 我们 都 <strong>�搞</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 她 为什么 这样 做。<span class="expl">(Literally: We all think-not-understand why she did this.)</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <strong>gǎo</strong> <em>bù dǒng</em> tā wèishénme zhèyàng zuò.</span> <span class="trans">We all don't understand why she did this.</span> |
| − | * | + | *�他 现在 <strong>看</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 这 些 句子 的 意思。 <span class="expl">(Literally: Right now he looks-not-understand the meaning of these sentences.)</span><span class="pinyin">Tā xiànzài <strong>kàn</strong> <em>bù dǒng</em> zhè xiē jùzi de yìsi.</span> <span class="trans">Right now he doesn't understand the meaning of these sentences.</span> |
| − | * | + | *�我 小时候，常常 <strong>听</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 大人 在 说 什么。 <span class="expl"> (Literally: I also listen-not-understand Chinese)</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ yě <strong>tīng</strong> <em>bù dǒng</em> Zhōngwén.</span> <span class="trans">I also don't understand Chinese.</span> |
| − | *我 <strong>读</strong> <em>不 懂</em> | + | *我 <strong>读</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 他 的 书。 <span class="expl">(Literally: I read-not-understand what you write.)</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong> dú </strong> <em>bù dǒng</em> nǐ xiě shénme.</span> <span class="trans">I don't understand what you are writing.</span> |
| − | * | + | * �父母 常常 <strong>搞</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 孩子 在 想 什么。 <span class="expl">(Literally: We all make-not-understand what he wants)</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <strong>gǎo</strong> <em>bù dǒng</em> tā zài xiǎng shénme.</span> <span class="trans">We all don't understand what he is thinking.</span> |
| − | + | *我 真 <strong>搞</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 这 个 人。 <span class="expl">(Literally: I really make-not-understand this person.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhēn <strong>gǎo</strong> <em>bù dǒng</em> zhè ge rén.</span><span class="trans">I really can't figure out this person.</span> | |
| − | *我 真 <strong>搞</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 这 个 | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 02:05, 2 November 2015
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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.
Structure
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. The 不懂 (bù dǒng) can also be swapped out with 不明白 (bù míngbai).
Subj. + [Perception verb] + 不懂
Examples
- 我 看 不懂 中文 的 报纸 。 (Literally: I see-not-understand Chinese newspapers.) I don't understand Chinese newspapers.
- 我 听 不懂 上海话。 (Literally: I hear-not-understand Shanghai dialect.) I don't understand Shanghai dialect.
- 很 多 人 读 不懂 这 本 书 。 (Literally: Many people read-not-understand this book.) Many people don't understand this book.
- 我们 都 �搞 不 懂 她 为什么 这样 做。(Literally: We all think-not-understand why she did this.) We all don't understand why she did this.
- �他 现在 看 不 懂 这 些 句子 的 意思。 (Literally: Right now he looks-not-understand the meaning of these sentences.) Right now he doesn't understand the meaning of these sentences.
- �我 小时候，常常 听 不 懂 大人 在 说 什么。 (Literally: I also listen-not-understand Chinese) I also don't understand Chinese.
- 我 读 不 懂 他 的 书。 (Literally: I read-not-understand what you write.) I don't understand what you are writing.
- �父母 常常 搞 不 懂 孩子 在 想 什么。 (Literally: We all make-not-understand what he wants) We all don't understand what he is thinking.
- 我 真 搞 不 懂 这 个 人。 (Literally: I really make-not-understand this person.I really can't figure out this person.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 242-3, pp. 271 - 329) →buy
- Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) (Chapter 6: Complements) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 200 - 201) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 87-8) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 97-9) →buy
- Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp, 186-7) →buy
Websites
- Wikipedia: Complement (linguistics)
- Baidu Baike (Chinese): 补语
- Blog entry (Chinese): 状态补语
