Difference between revisions of "Expressing "less than" with "budao""

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*他们 认识 <em>不到</em> 两 个 月 <em>就</em> 结婚 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen rènshi <em>bùdào</em> liǎng gè yuè <em>jiù</em> jiéhūn le.</span><span class="trans"> .</span>
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*他们 认识 <em>不到</em> 两 个 月 <em>就</em> 结婚 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen rènshi <em>bùdào</em> liǎng gè yuè <em>jiù</em> jiéhūn le.</span><span class="trans">They've known each other for less than two months and are already married.</span>
*李 医生<em>不到</em> 55 岁 <em>就</em> 退休 了 。<span class="pinyin">Lǐ yīshēng <em>bùdào</em> wǔshí-wǔ suì<em>jiù</em> tuìxiū le.</span><span class="trans"> .</span>
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*李 医生<em>不到</em> 55 岁 <em>就</em> 退休 了 。<span class="pinyin">Lǐ yīshēng <em>bùdào</em> wǔshí-wǔ suì<em>jiù</em> tuìxiū le.</span><span class="trans">Dr. Li is less than 55 years old and he already retired.</span>
*爷爷 <em>不到</em>  60 岁 <em>就</em> 去世 了。<span class="pinyin">Yéye <em>bùdào</em> liùshí suì <em>jiù</em> qùshì le.</span><span class="trans"> .</span>
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*爷爷 <em>不到</em>  60 岁 <em>就</em> 去世 了。<span class="pinyin">Yéye <em>bùdào</em> liùshí suì <em>jiù</em> qùshì le.</span><span class="trans">My grandpa was less than 60 years old when he died.</span>
*你 回家 住 了 <em>不到</em> 一 个 星期 <em>就</em> 要 走 了?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ huíjiā zhù le <em>bùdào</em> yī gè xīngqī <em>jiù</em> yào zǒu le?</span><span class="trans"> .</span>
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*你 回家 住 了 <em>不到</em> 一 个 星期 <em>就</em> 要 走 了?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ huíjiā zhù le <em>bùdào</em> yī gè xīngqī <em>jiù</em> yào zǒu le?</span><span class="trans">You went to live at home and moved out in less than a week?</span>
*老板 <em>不到</em> 30 岁 <em>就</em> 有 白 头发 了。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>bùdào</em> sānshí suì <em>jiù</em> yǒu bái tóufa le.</span><span class="trans"> .</span>
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*老板 <em>不到</em> 30 岁 <em>就</em> 有 白 头发 了。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>bùdào</em> sānshí suì <em>jiù</em> yǒu bái tóufa le.</span><span class="trans">My boss is less than 30 years old and already has white hair showing on his head.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 06:20, 3 August 2017

Basic Usage

Structure

Subj. + 不到 + Number + Measure Word(+ Noun)

Examples

  • 我 女儿 还 不到 三 岁。Wǒ nǚ’ér hái bùdào sān suì.My daughter is still less than three years old.
  • 我 昨天 睡 了 不到 五 个 小时 。Wǒ zuótiān shuì le bùdào wǔ gè xiǎoshí. Yesterday I slept for less than five hours.
  • 这 件 衣服 花 了 不到 一百 块 。Zhè jiàn yīfu huā le bùdào yī bǎi kuài.This piece of clothing costs less than 100 RMB.
  • 我 家 到 公司 不到 五百 米 。Wǒ jiā dào gōngsī bùdào wǔ bǎi mǐ.It is less than 500 meters from my house to the company.
  • 在 美国,不到 21岁,不能 喝酒 。Zài Měiguó, bùdào èrshí-yī suì, bù néng hē jiǔ.In America, people less than 21 years old cannot drink alcohol.

Using 不到 with 就

Structure

"不到"放在一个时间点或者时间段前,后面跟"就"连用,表示某事发生得比一般情况要早。

Subj. + 不到 + Time Word + 就 + Verb + 了

Examples

  • 他们 认识 不到 两 个 月 结婚 了 。Tāmen rènshi bùdào liǎng gè yuè jiù jiéhūn le.They've known each other for less than two months and are already married.
  • 李 医生不到 55 岁 退休 了 。Lǐ yīshēng bùdào wǔshí-wǔ suìjiù tuìxiū le.Dr. Li is less than 55 years old and he already retired.
  • 爷爷 不到 60 岁 去世 了。Yéye bùdào liùshí suì jiù qùshì le.My grandpa was less than 60 years old when he died.
  • 你 回家 住 了 不到 一 个 星期 要 走 了?Nǐ huíjiā zhù le bùdào yī gè xīngqī jiù yào zǒu le?You went to live at home and moved out in less than a week?
  • 老板 不到 30 岁 有 白 头发 了。Lǎobǎn bùdào sānshí suì jiù yǒu bái tóufa le.My boss is less than 30 years old and already has white hair showing on his head.

See Also