Result complements

Most Frequently Used Ones

One of the most often used result complements is 好 (hǎo). It implies that something is complete or done well. Forming a result complement with 好 has a very similar meaning to forming one with 完. It expresses that the action has been completed successfully.

The other most often used result complements is 错 (cuò). To express that an action resulted in an error, you can use a result complement with -错. This covers what is often expressed with the adverb "incorrectly" in English.

Structure

When using result complements, it's very common to make the object a topic. This means the object is said first and the subject is often omitted:

Obj. + Verb + 好 + 了

Obj. + Verb + 错 + 了

Examples

• 我 的 作业 做 好 了。Wǒ de zuòyè zuò hǎo le. I finished doing my homework.
• 我们 吃 好 了。Wǒmen chī hǎo le.We finished eating.
• 衣服 穿 好 了 吗？Yīfu chuān hǎo le ma? Did you finish dressing up?
• 这 个 字 你 写 错 了。Zhège zì nǐ xiě cuò le.You wrote this character wrong.
• 我 记 错 了。Wǒ jì cuò le.I remembered wrongly.
• 你 说 的 话 我 听 错 了。Nǐ shuō de huà wǒ tīng cuò le.I misheard what you said.

See also

As with all result complements, the -好 result complement works particularly well in a 把 sentence.

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 43- 4) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 233-4) →buy