Potential complement "-bu dong" for not understanding

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 (bù dǒng) 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 (bù dǒng) 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 。 (Literally: I see-not-understand Chinese newspapers.)Wǒ kān bùdǒng Zhōngwén de bàozhǐ. I don't understand Chinese newspapers.
• 我 听 不懂 南方人 说 的 话 。 (Literally: I hear-not-understand Southerners' talk.)Wǒ tīng bùdǒng nánfāngrén shuō de huà. I don't understand Southerners' talk.
• 很 多 人 读 不懂 这本书 。 (Literally: Many people read-not-understand this book.)Hěn duō rén dú bùdǒng zhèběnshū. Many people don't understand this book.
• 你 想 不 懂 她 为什么 这样 做 。 (Literally: You think-not-understand why she did this.)Nǐ xiǎng bù dǒng tā wèishénme zhèyàng zuò. I don't understand why she did this?
• 我 现在 看 不 懂 这 些 汉字 。 (Literally: Right now I look-not-understand these characters)Wǒ xiànzài kān bù dǒng zhè xiē hànzì. Right now I don't understand these characters.
• 我 也 听 不 懂 中文 。 (Literally: I also listen-not-understand Chinese)Wǒ yě tīng bù dǒng Zhōngwén. I also don't understand Chinese.
• 我 读 不 懂 你 写 什么 。 (Literally: I read-not-understand what you write.)Wǒ dú bù dǒng nǐ xiě shénme. I don't understand what you wrote.
• 我 想 不 懂 他 为什么 这么 做 。 (Literally: I think-not-understand why he made this that way.)Wǒ xiǎng bù dǒng tā wèishénme zhème zuò. I don't think I understand why he made it like this.
• 我们 都 搞 不 懂 他 在 想 什么 。 (Literally: We all make-not-understand what he wants)Wǒmen dōu gǎo bù dǒng tā zài xiǎng shénme. We all don't understand what he is thinking.
• 我 真 搞 不 懂 这 个 人 。 (Literally: I really make-not-understand this person.Wǒ zhēn gǎo bù dǒng zhè gè rén.I really can't figure out this person.

See also

• Potential complement "bu xia"
• Positive and negative potential complements

Sources and further reading

Books

• A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 242-3, 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. 87-8) →buy
• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 97-9) →buy
• Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp, 186-7) →buy

Websites

• Wikipedia: Complement (linguistics)
• Baidu Baike (Chinese): 补语
• Blog entry (Chinese): 状态补语