Difference between revisions of "Negative adjectives with "-si le""
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| − | + | In English, you might use or hear the expression "you scared me "to death!"" In Chinese, 死了 (sǐle) is used similarly to intensify a negative adjective. To express the opposite you would use [[Positive adjectives with "-ji le"|极了 (jíle)]]. | |
== Structure == | == Structure == | ||
| − | The "Subject" part below is actually optional | + | The "Subject" part below is actually optional, you can still make your over-the-top exclamations without it. |
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| − | None of these sentences | + | None of these sentences actually refer to someone dying, instead the word 死了 (sǐle) and the structure is simply used to intensify an adjective. Notice how these are awkward to translate into English - 死了 (sǐle) is much more versatile than the English expression "to death." |
== See also == | == See also == | ||
Revision as of 07:09, 16 June 2015
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In English, you might use or hear the expression "you scared me "to death!"" In Chinese, 死了 (sǐle) is used similarly to intensify a negative adjective. To express the opposite you would use 极了 (jíle).
Structure
The "Subject" part below is actually optional, you can still make your over-the-top exclamations without it.
Subject + Negative adjective + 死了
Note that this structure is a degree complement (called 程度补语 (chéngdù bǔyǔ) in Chinese).
Examples
- 我 饿 死了。It could be read as 'hungry to death' I'm so/terribly hungry!
- 他 难看 死了。It could be read as 'ugly to death' He's so/terribly ugly!
- 你 胖 死了！It could be read as 'fat to death' You're so/terribly fat!
- 热 死了！It could be read as 'hot to death' It's so/terribly hot!
- 这里 的 东西 贵 死了。It could be read as 'expensive to death' The things here are so/terribly expensive!
- 冷 死了。It could be read as 'cold to death' It's so/terribly cold!
- 今天 累 死了。It could be read as 'tired to death' I'm so/terribly tired today!
- 我 快 忙 死了。It could be read as 'busy to death' I'm so/terribly busy!
- 急 死了。It could be read as 'anxious to death' I'm so/terribly anxious!
- 你 慢 死了。It could be read as 'slow to death' You're so/terribly slow!
None of these sentences actually refer to someone dying, instead the word 死了 (sǐle) and the structure is simply used to intensify an adjective. Notice how these are awkward to translate into English - 死了 (sǐle) is much more versatile than the English expression "to death."
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (p. 104) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (p. 139) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (p. 105) →buy
- Yufa! (p. 106) →buy
