Continuation with "hai"

If you "still" need help on how to use 还 (hái), then this is the page for you.

还 的基本用法

Structure

还 (hái) can be used to indicate that something is continuing - that it's still a particular way.

Subject + 还 + Verb + Object

Often the auxiliary verb 在 will appear with 还, as it is natural to talk about continuous actions that are still happening.

Examples

• 他 还 在 看 书。He is still reading.
• 我 还 在 加班。Are you still working overtime?
• 十点了，你 还 睡？Do you still sleep at 10 o'clock?
• 你 还 在 喝 酒 吗？Are you still drinking?
• 你们 的 孩子 还 上学？Does your kids still go to school?
• 还 笑？我 要 生气 了。Still laughing? I am getting mad.
• 他 还 在 吃饭。He is still eating.
• 还 写 作业 呢？Still making homework?
• 还 用 你 的 旧 手机 啊？Are you still using your old cellphone?
• 你 还 在 那里 工作？Are you still working there?
• 老板 还 不 知道 这 件 事。The boss still doesn't know about this thing.
• 不好意思，还 没 做 好。Don't feel embarrassed, you still didn't do good.

"还" 跟 "不" 的特殊用法

Structure

When you put 不 or 没 after 还 (hái) in a question sentence, it can be used to emphasize the idea of what should be happening in a more idiomatic way.

Subject + 还 不 + Verb + Object

Examples

• 你还 不去吃饭？ (implying the listener should go to eat)You still won't go eat?
• 我 对 你 那么 好，你还 不高兴？ (implying the listener shouldn't be so glum)I'm so good to you, you're still not happy?
• 你们 还 不 下 班？Are you still not off work?
• 他 怎么 还 不 来？Why has he still not come?
• 九点了，为什么 还 不 开始？What time is it, why have we still not started?
• 你 还 不 知道 他 是 什么 人？Do you still not know which person he is?
• 这么 大 了，还 不 结婚？That old and you are still not married?
• 你 还 不 说 实话？Are you still not telling the truth?
• 工作两年了，还 不 会 用 电脑？Working for two years, still not able to use a computer.
• 还 不 发 工资，我 快 没钱 了。Still haven't sent the wages, soon I don't have any money.

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 122) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 157) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 103) →buy