Difference between revisions of "Comparing "xiande" and "kanqilai""

m (Text replacement - "kànqǐlái" to "kànqilai")
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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Both 显得 (xiǎnde) and 看起来 (kànqilai) have meanings in English like "to appear to be" or "seems like," but their connotations are pretty different.  
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Both 显得 (xiǎnde) and 看起来 (kànqilai) have meanings in English like "to appear to be" or "seems like," but their connotations are subtly different.  
  
 
== 显得 emphasizes objectivity ==
 
== 显得 emphasizes objectivity ==
  
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显得 is used for objective descriptions and comparisons. Therefore, if you want to say that something is not very good, you can use 显得 to emphasize your objectiveness. It can be a "tactical" way to talk.  
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显得 is used for objective descriptions and comparisons. Use it when you want to say that something "appears" a certain way without emphasizing that it's just your own viewpoint.
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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* 这样 穿 <em>显得</em> 我 比较 成熟 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèyàng chuān <em>xiǎnde</em> wǒ bǐjiào chéngshú.</span><span class="trans">Dressing like this makes me look more mature.</span>
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* 这样 穿 <em>显得</em> 我 比较 成熟 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèyàng chuān <em>xiǎnde</em> wǒ bǐjiào chéngshú.</span><span class="trans">Dressing like this makes me appear more mature.</span>
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* 那样 吃 <em>显得</em> 你 很 没 礼貌 。 <span class="pinyin">Nàyàng chī <em>xiǎnde</em> nǐ hěn méi lǐmào.</span><span class="trans">Eating like that makes you look not very polite.</span>
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* 那样 吃 <em>显得</em> 你 很 没 礼貌 。 <span class="pinyin">Nàyàng chī <em>xiǎnde</em> nǐ hěn méi lǐmào.</span><span class="trans">Eating like that makes you look very impolite.</span>
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* 这么 做 会 <em>显得</em> 你 很 小气 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhème zuò huì <em>xiǎnde</em> nǐ hěn xiǎoqì.</span><span class="trans">Doing it like this makes you seem stingy.</span>
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* 这么 做 会 <em>显得</em> 你 很 小气 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhème zuò huì <em>xiǎnde</em> nǐ hěn xiǎoqì.</span><span class="trans">Doing this makes you appear stingy.</span>
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* 那样 说 <em>显得</em> 她 很 笨 。 <span class="pinyin">Nàyàng shuō <em>xiǎnde</em> tā hěn bèn.</span><span class="trans">Talking like that makes her look stupid.</span>
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* 那样 说 <em>显得</em> 她 很 笨 。 <span class="pinyin">Nàyàng shuō <em>xiǎnde</em> tā hěn bèn.</span><span class="trans">Saying that made her appear stupid.</span>
 
* 这 种 颜色 的 衣服 <em>显得</em> 你 的 脸色 不 好看 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng yánsè de yīfu <em>xiǎnde</em> nǐ de liǎnsè bù hǎokàn.</span><span class="trans">This color of clothing doesn't go well with your complexion.</span>
 
* 这 种 颜色 的 衣服 <em>显得</em> 你 的 脸色 不 好看 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng yánsè de yīfu <em>xiǎnde</em> nǐ de liǎnsè bù hǎokàn.</span><span class="trans">This color of clothing doesn't go well with your complexion.</span>
 
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== 看起来 emphasize subjectivity ==
 
== 看起来 emphasize subjectivity ==
  
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看起来 is the opposite in that it emphasizes subjectivity, paying close attention to how the observer feels.  
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看起来 is the opposite of 显得 in that it emphasizes subjectivity, emphasizing how the observer feels.  
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
* 你 今天 <em>看起来</em> 很 高兴 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ jīntiān <em>kànqilai</em> hěn gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">You seem very happy today.</span>
 
* 你 今天 <em>看起来</em> 很 高兴 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ jīntiān <em>kànqilai</em> hěn gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">You seem very happy today.</span>
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* 这个 餐厅 <em>看起来</em> 不错，我们 可以 试试。 <span class="pinyin">Zhège cāntīng <em>kànqilai</em> bùcuò, wǒmen kěyǐ shìshi.</span><span class="trans">This restaurant doesn't seem too bad, let's try it out.</span>
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* 这个 餐厅 <em>看起来</em> 不错，我们 可以 试试。 <span class="pinyin">Zhège cāntīng <em>kànqilai</em> bùcuò, wǒmen kěyǐ shìshi.</span><span class="trans">This restaurant seems pretty good. Let's try it out.</span>
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* 她 <em>看起来</em> 有 点 生气 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>kànqilai</em> yǒu diǎn shēngqì.</span><span class="trans">She seems a little angry.</span>
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* 她 <em>看起来</em> 有点 生气 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>kànqilai</em> yǒudiǎn shēngqì.</span><span class="trans">She seems a little angry.</span>
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* 你 的 衣服 <em>看起来</em> 挺 贵 的 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ de yīfu <em>kànqilai</em> tǐng guì de.</span><span class="trans">Your clothes seems expensive to me.</span>
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* 你的 衣服 <em>看起来</em> 挺 贵 的 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ de yīfu <em>kànqilai</em> tǐng guì de.</span><span class="trans">Your clothes look quote expensive.</span>
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* 你 女朋友 <em>看起来</em> 像 我 的 中文 老师 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ nǚpéngyou <em>kànqilai</em> xiàng wǒ de Zhōngwén lǎoshī.</span><span class="trans">Your girlfriend seems like my Chinese teacher.</span>
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* 你 女朋友 <em>看起来</em> 像 我 的 中文 老师 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ nǚpéngyou <em>kànqilai</em> xiàng wǒ de Zhōngwén lǎoshī.</span><span class="trans">Your girlfriend looks like my Chinese teacher.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
* A: 你 今天 <em>看起来</em> 很 苗条。<span class="pinyin">A: Nǐ jīntiān <em>kànqilai</em> hěn miáotiáo.</span><span class="trans">You seem very slim today.</span>
 
* A: 你 今天 <em>看起来</em> 很 苗条。<span class="pinyin">A: Nǐ jīntiān <em>kànqilai</em> hěn miáotiáo.</span><span class="trans">You seem very slim today.</span>
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* B: 可能 是 这 件 衣服 <em>显得</em>我 很 苗条 。 <span class="pinyin">B: Kěnéng shì zhè jiàn yīfu <em>xiǎnde</em> wǒ hěn miáotiáo.</span><span class="trans">It's probably these clothes that makes me seem that way.</span>
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* B: 可能 是 这 件 衣服 <em>显得</em>我 很 苗条 。 <span class="pinyin">B: Kěnéng shì zhè jiàn yīfu <em>xiǎnde</em> wǒ hěn miáotiáo.</span><span class="trans">It's probably these clothes that makes me appear that way.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  

Revision as of 07:51, 15 November 2020

Both 显得 (xiǎnde) and 看起来 (kànqilai) have meanings in English like "to appear to be" or "seems like," but their connotations are subtly different.

显得 emphasizes objectivity

显得 is used for objective descriptions and comparisons. Use it when you want to say that something "appears" a certain way without emphasizing that it's just your own viewpoint.

Structure

A + 显得 + B + Predicate

Examples

  • 这样 穿 显得 我 比较 成熟 。Zhèyàng chuān xiǎnde wǒ bǐjiào chéngshú.Dressing like this makes me appear more mature.
  • 那样 吃 显得 你 很 没 礼貌 。 Nàyàng chī xiǎnde nǐ hěn méi lǐmào.Eating like that makes you look very impolite.
  • 这么 做 会 显得 你 很 小气 。 Zhème zuò huì xiǎnde nǐ hěn xiǎoqì.Doing this makes you appear stingy.
  • 那样 说 显得 她 很 笨 。 Nàyàng shuō xiǎnde tā hěn bèn.Saying that made her appear stupid.
  • 这 种 颜色 的 衣服 显得 你 的 脸色 不 好看 。 Zhè zhǒng yánsè de yīfu xiǎnde nǐ de liǎnsè bù hǎokàn.This color of clothing doesn't go well with your complexion.

看起来 emphasize subjectivity

看起来 is the opposite of 显得 in that it emphasizes subjectivity, emphasizing how the observer feels.

Structure

Subj. + 看起来 + Predicate

Examples

  • 你 今天 看起来 很 高兴 。 Nǐ jīntiān kànqilai hěn gāoxìng.You seem very happy today.
  • 这个 餐厅 看起来 不错，我们 可以 试试。 Zhège cāntīng kànqilai bùcuò, wǒmen kěyǐ shìshi.This restaurant seems pretty good. Let's try it out.
  • 她 看起来 有点 生气 。 Tā kànqilai yǒudiǎn shēngqì.She seems a little angry.
  • 你的 衣服 看起来 挺 贵 的 。 Nǐ de yīfu kànqilai tǐng guì de.Your clothes look quote expensive.
  • 你 女朋友 看起来 像 我 的 中文 老师 。 Nǐ nǚpéngyou kànqilai xiàng wǒ de Zhōngwén lǎoshī.Your girlfriend looks like my Chinese teacher.

Example Dialog

  • A: 你 今天 看起来 很 苗条。A: Nǐ jīntiān kànqilai hěn miáotiáo.You seem very slim today.
  • B: 可能 是 这 件 衣服 显得我 很 苗条 。 B: Kěnéng shì zhè jiàn yīfu xiǎnde wǒ hěn miáotiáo.It's probably these clothes that makes me appear that way.

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

HSK5
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