Difference between revisions of "Potential complement "-bu dong" for not understanding"
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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 | + | 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 == | == Structure == | ||
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* 我 <strong>听</strong> <em>不懂</em> 南方人 说 的 话。<span class="trans">I don't understand Southerners' talk. (Literally: I hear-not-understand Southerners' talk.)</span> | * 我 <strong>听</strong> <em>不懂</em> 南方人 说 的 话。<span class="trans">I don't understand Southerners' talk. (Literally: I hear-not-understand Southerners' talk.)</span> | ||
* 很 多 人 <strong>读</strong> <em>不懂</em> 这本书。<span class="trans">Many people don't understand this book. (Literally: Many people read-not-understand this book.)</span> | * 很 多 人 <strong>读</strong> <em>不懂</em> 这本书。<span class="trans">Many people don't understand this book. (Literally: Many people read-not-understand this book.)</span> | ||
| − | * 你 <strong>想</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 她 说 的 话 吗？<span class="trans">Do you not understand what she said? (Literally: You | + | * 你 <strong>想</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 她 说 的 话 吗？<span class="trans">Do you not understand what she said? (Literally: You think-not-understand her words?)</span> |
*我 现在 <strong>看</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 这 些 汉字。<span class="trans">Right now I don't understand these characters. (Literally: Right now I look-not-understand these characters))</span> | *我 现在 <strong>看</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 这 些 汉字。<span class="trans">Right now I don't understand these characters. (Literally: Right now I look-not-understand these characters))</span> | ||
*我 也<strong>听</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 中文。<span class="trans">I also don't understand Chinese. (Literally: I also listen-not-understand Chinese)</span> | *我 也<strong>听</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 中文。<span class="trans">I also don't understand Chinese. (Literally: I also listen-not-understand Chinese)</span> | ||
*我 <strong>读</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 你 写 的 什么。<span class="trans">I don't understand what you wrote. (Literally: I read-not-understand what you write)</span> | *我 <strong>读</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 你 写 的 什么。<span class="trans">I don't understand what you wrote. (Literally: I read-not-understand what you write)</span> | ||
*我 <strong>想</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 他 为什么 这么 做。<span class="trans">I don't think I understand why he made it like this. (Literally: I think-not-understand why he made this that way.)</span> | *我 <strong>想</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 他 为什么 这么 做。<span class="trans">I don't think I understand why he made it like this. (Literally: I think-not-understand why he made this that way.)</span> | ||
| − | *我们 都 <strong>搞</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 他 在 想 什么。<span class="trans">We all don't understand what he | + | *我们 都 <strong>搞</strong> <em>不 懂</em> 他 在 想 什么。<span class="trans">We all don't understand what he is thinking. (Literally: We all make-not-understand what he wants)</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 07:19, 22 November 2013
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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 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 can also be swapped out with 不明白 (bù míngbai).
Subject + Perception verb + 不懂
Examples
- 我 看 不懂 中文 的 报纸。I don't understand Chinese newspapers. (Literally: I see-not-understand Chinese newspapers.)
- 我 听 不懂 南方人 说 的 话。I don't understand Southerners' talk. (Literally: I hear-not-understand Southerners' talk.)
- 很 多 人 读 不懂 这本书。Many people don't understand this book. (Literally: Many people read-not-understand this book.)
- 你 想 不 懂 她 说 的 话 吗？Do you not understand what she said? (Literally: You think-not-understand her words?)
- 我 现在 看 不 懂 这 些 汉字。Right now I don't understand these characters. (Literally: Right now I look-not-understand these characters))
- 我 也听 不 懂 中文。I also don't understand Chinese. (Literally: I also listen-not-understand Chinese)
- 我 读 不 懂 你 写 的 什么。I don't understand what you wrote. (Literally: I read-not-understand what you write)
- 我 想 不 懂 他 为什么 这么 做。I don't think I understand why he made it like this. (Literally: I think-not-understand why he made this that way.)
- 我们 都 搞 不 懂 他 在 想 什么。We all don't understand what he is thinking. (Literally: We all make-not-understand what he wants)
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 242 - 243, 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 - 88) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 97-9) →buy
- Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp, 186-187) →buy
Websites
- Wikipedia: Complement (linguistics)
- Baidu Baike (Chinese): 补语
- Blog entry (Chinese): 状态补语
