Complement "-huai le"

The resultative complement 坏 (huài) is another one of those complements which can be used literally and figuratively.

Structure

Verb + 坏

坏 can mean "to break," or "to get messed up."

Examples

• 自行车 被 他 摔 坏 了。The bike was broken by him.
• 明明 是 你 弄 坏 的，还 怪 我！You obviously broke it, but you're still blaming me!

However, figuratively it is a bit like the complement 死, and can be used to mean "extremely" in a positive and negative sense.

• 那 部 鬼片 把 我 吓 坏 了，睡觉 都 不 敢 关灯 了！That ghost scared me to death. I won't be able to sleep without the lights on!
• 全 场 打 五 折，这 可 乐 坏 了 顾客。Everything is fifty percent off. This will make the customers extremely happy.
• 我 急 坏 了，我们 还 没 到 机场，离 起飞 却 只有 五分 钟了！I'm so anxious. We still haven't gotten to the airport, and the plane takes of in five minutes!

See also

• Positive adjectives with "-ji le"
• Negative adjectives with "-si le"
• Resultative Complement "kai"

Sources and further reading

Books

• New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 104) →buy

HSK4