Expressing wasted efforts with "bai"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
白 doesn't only mean "white". When added before a verb it means to do that verb "in vain" or "with no effect". In a certain way, tyou can think of 白 as not being just "white" but also "blank", like when you do something for a long time without thinking, and you're just going through the motions. It's like doing something with a "blank" mind.
Structure
All you have to do is but 白 before the verb.
白+V.
Examples
- 白 花 了 一 百 块 钱，这 件 衣服 不 能 穿。
- 白 写 了 两 个 小时 的 报告，老板 不 需要 了。
- 他 不 来 吃 饭 了，我 这 些 菜 白 做了。
- 你 一 句 汉语 都 不 会 说，白 学 了 这么 长 时间。
