Continuation with "hai"

If you "still" need help on how to use 还 (hái), then this is the page for you.

Affirmative Form

Usage of 还在

Structure

还在 (hái zài) can be used to indicate that something is continuing - that it's still a particular way.

Subj. + 还在 + [Verb Phrase]

Often the auxiliary verb 在 will appear with 还 (hái) , as it is natural to talk about continuous actions that are still happening.

Examples

• 这 件 事情 我 还在 考虑 。Zhèjiàn shìqing wǒ hái zài kǎolǜ.I am still thinking about this piece of matter.
• 已经 中午 了 ，他 还在 睡 ？Yǐjīng zhōngwǔ le, tā hái zài shuì? It's already noon and he's still sleeping?
• 你 还在 生气 吗 ？Nǐ hái zài shēngqì ma? Are you still being mad?
• 你 怎么 还在 用 那个 旧 手机 ？Nǐ zěnme hái zài yòng nàge jiù shǒujī a?How come you're still using that old cell phone?
• 他 怎么 还在 玩 游戏 ？明天 不是 有 考试 吗 ？Tā zěnme hái zài wán yóuxì? Míngtiān bù shì yǒu kǎoshì ma?Why are you still playing online games? Isn't there gonna be a exam tomorrow?

Usage of 还是

Here 还是 (háishì) indicates things happened or will happen despite the situation.

Structure

⋯⋯ ，(但是 / 可是) Subj. + 还是 + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

• 我 看 了 好 几 遍，还是 记 不 住。Wǒ kàn le hǎo jǐ biàn, háishì jì bu zhù.I read several times, but I still can't remember it.
• 父母 不 同意 他 去，可是 他 还是 去 了。Fùmǔ bù tóngyì tā qù, kěshì tā háishì qù le.He still went there although his patents disagreed.
• 医生 不 让 她 喝酒，但 她 还是 天天 喝。Yīshēng bù ràng tā hējiǔ, dàn tā háishì tiāntiān hē.The doctor told her to stop drinking alcohol, but she still drinks it everyday.
• 老师 虽然 生病 了，但 还是 来 上课 了。Lǎoshī suīrán shēngbìng le, dàn háishì lái shàngkè le.The teacher still made it to the class although she got sick.
• 他 在 中国 住 了 两 年 多 ，还是 不 太 了解 中国 。 Tā zài Zhōngguó zhù le liǎng nián duō, háishì bù tài liǎojiě Zhōngguó.He lived in China for 10 years while he still doesn't know much about China.

Negative Form

Structure

When you put 不 or 没 after 还 (hái) in a question sentence, it can be used to emphasize the idea of what should be happening in a more idiomatic way.

Subj. + 还 + 不 / 没 + Verb

Examples

• 他 还 没 到 。Tā hái méi dào. He hasn't arrived yet.
• 你还 没 吃饭 ？ implying the listener should go to eatNǐ hái méi chīfàn?You still haven't eaten?
• 你们 还 不 走 ？Nǐmen hái bù ?Aren't you guys not leaving?
• 我 还 没 下班 。Wǒ hái méi xiàbān.I haven't left work yet.
• 我 对 你 那么 好 ，你 还 不 满意 ？implying the listener shouldn't be so glumWǒ duì nǐ nàme hǎo, nǐ hái bù mǎnyì?I treat you so well, but you're still not satisfied?

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 122) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 157) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 103) →buy