Difference between revisions of "Expressing the self-evident with "ma""
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| − | *[[Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)]] ( | + | *[[Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)]] (pp. 225) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7802006473/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7802006473 →buy] [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B002ZNK7JE&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B002ZNK7JE →买] |
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (Lesson 11) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy] | * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (Lesson 11) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy] | ||
* [[Intermediate Chinese - A Grammar and Workbook]] (Unit 23) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415160391/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0415160391 →buy] | * [[Intermediate Chinese - A Grammar and Workbook]] (Unit 23) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415160391/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0415160391 →buy] | ||
Revision as of 09:13, 30 January 2012
The particle 嘛 (ma) is a sentence-final particle identical in pronunciation to the simple "yes/no question" particle 吗 (ma) you learned back in the day, but with a rather different function. It can be used when the speaker feels what he is saying is obvious (from his point of view).
The structure is:
Statement + 嘛
Some examples:
- 你的 妹妹 很 漂亮 嘛。
- 中国 人口 很 多 嘛。
- 美国人 很 开放 嘛。
An alternate form is:
Topic + 嘛, + Statement
This basically allows the speaker to state the topic, then gather his thoughts before making a comment on it. In this pattern, the following comment may or may not be one the speaker feels is obvious.
Some examples:
- 女孩子 嘛，害怕。
- 男人 嘛，总是要喝啤酒。
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 225) →buy →买
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (Lesson 11) →buy
- Intermediate Chinese - A Grammar and Workbook (Unit 23) →buy
