Difference between revisions of "Advanced uses of "zong""
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| − | *这里 是 他 家，他 <em>总 会</em> 回来 的。<span class="trans">This is his home. He will always come back.</span> | + | *这里 是 他 家，他 <em>总 会</em> 回来 的。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ shì tā jiā, tā <em>zǒng huì</em> huílái de.</span><span class="trans">This is his home. He will always come back.</span> |
| − | *咱们 <em>总 得</em> 想 个 办法 啊。<span class="trans">We always have to come up with something to do.</span> | + | *咱们 <em>总 得</em> 想 个 办法 啊。<span class="pinyin">Zánmen <em>zǒngdé</em> xiǎng gè bànfǎ a.</span><span class="trans">We always have to come up with something to do.</span> |
| − | *不管 发生 了 什么，人 <em>总 要</em> 吃饭 吧。<span class="trans">No matter what happens, people have to eat.</span> | + | *不管 发生 了 什么，人 <em>总 要</em> 吃饭 吧。<span class="pinyin">Bùguǎn fāshēngle shénme, rén <em>zǒng yào</em> chīfàn ba.</span><span class="trans">No matter what happens, people have to eat.</span> |
| − | *他 是 你 爸爸，你 <em>总 要</em> 礼貌 一点 吧。<span class="trans">He is your father, you should always a little more polite.</span> | + | *他 是 你 爸爸，你 <em>总 要</em> 礼貌 一点 吧。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì nǐ bàba, nǐ <em>zǒng yào</em> lǐmào yīdiǎn ba.</span><span class="trans">He is your father, you should always a little more polite.</span> |
| − | *你 拿 了 人家 的 钱，<em>总 得</em> 帮 人家 做 事 吧。<span class="trans">You took their money, so you're always going to have to help them do stuff.</span> | + | *你 拿 了 人家 的 钱，<em>总 得</em> 帮 人家 做 事 吧。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nále rénjiā de qián, <em>zǒngdé</em> bāng rénjiā zuòshì ba.</span><span class="trans">You took their money, so you're always going to have to help them do stuff.</span> |
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Revision as of 01:22, 20 May 2020
总 (zǒng) can often be simply translated as "always," but it has other advanced uses as well. It can express "no matter how long or under what circumstances, facts are facts." It can also express "no matter what." It is often paired with other words to form set phrases such as 总会, 总归, 总得, 总要, 总能, etc. It can also be structured together with other unconditional compound phrases like 无论 and 不管. You cannot place it directly after the verb.
Contents
Used with Auxiliary Verb
In this structure, 总, with its companion character (usually a modal/auxiliary verb), means "always will (fill in character/action here)" Once again, it gives the feeling of something very concrete and factual. One of the examples below says "No matter what happens, people have to eat."
Structure
总 + 会 / 得 / 要 / 能 + Verb
Examples
- 这里 是 他 家，他 总 会 回来 的。This is his home. He will always come back.
- 咱们 总 得 想 个 办法 啊。We always have to come up with something to do.
- 不管 发生 了 什么，人 总 要 吃饭 吧。No matter what happens, people have to eat.
- 他 是 你 爸爸，你 总 要 礼貌 一点 吧。He is your father, you should always a little more polite.
- 你 拿 了 人家 的 钱，总 得 帮 人家 做 事 吧。You took their money, so you're always going to have to help them do stuff.
Used with 不 and 没
When 总 is used together with a negating word (like 不 or 没), it often has a tone of speculation, judgment or suggestion. The sentence often ends with a 吧.
Structure
总 + 不 / 没 + Verb
Examples
- 你们 之间 的 联系 这么 少，看 起来 总 不 像 是 一 家 人。You talk to each other so little. It seems that you're barely family.
- 他 这么 大 年纪 了，我们 总 不 能 让 他 一个人 去 吧？He'e so old. We can't let him go there all alone. What do you think?
- 这么 晚 了，总 不 会 出 了 什么事 吧？It's getting late. Do you think something bad happened?
- 这 件 事 总 不 会 是 内部 的 人 做 的 吧？Do you think this is an inside job?
- 他 想 带 父母 去 旅行，可是 总 没 时间。He wants to take her parents to travel, but he's always not able to find time.
See also
- Comparing "zongsuan" and “zhongyu"
- "Always" with "zongshi"
- Expressing "After All" with "bijing"
- Expressing "In the End" with "daodi"
Sources and further reading
Books
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 698) [ →buy]
- 现代汉语虚词例释 (pp. 663) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy
