Expressing "all at once" with "yixiazi"
一下子 (yīxiàzi) can be used as an adverb meaning "all at once." It has to come at the beginning of the sentence. In colloquial Chinese, "一下" is also used.
Contents
Used as "All at once"
一下子 (yīxiàzi) is a very informal expression to describe how fast things happened. 通常涉及的是数量上或程度上短时间内的突然的、剧烈的变化。谓语有时会包含数量短语。
Structure
Subj. + 一下(子) + Predicate + 了
Examples
- 天气 一下 变 冷 了 。The weather is suddenly getting cold.
- 他 一下 吃 了 三 碗 米饭 。He ate three bowls of rice at all once.
- 她 下楼 的时候 一下子 摔倒 了 。She suddenly fell when she went downstairs.
- 我们 说话 的 时候 ，她 一下子 哭 了 起来 。She burst into tears when we were talking.
- 她 上 个 月 一下 瘦 了 十 斤 。One "jin" = 500gShe lost ten jin the first last month all at once.
Used as "Soon and Naturally"
一般都会有铺垫，解释"事情发生得很快，同时也很自然、很轻松"的原因。后面经常跟"就"连用。一下子 (yíxiàzi) usually has the meaning that things happen very quickly, naturally and easily. Usually followed with 就( jiù).
Structure
Subj. + 一下(子) + 就 + Predicate + 了
Examples
- 老师 进来 以后 ，大家 一下子 就 安静 了 。Everyone became silent after the teacher came in.
- 听 他 说 完 ，我 一下子 就 明白 了 。After hearing him out, I understood everything all at once.
- 他 是 最 高 的 ，我 一下 就 看到 他 了 。He is the tallest. I spotted him right away.
- 拍 完 那 部 电影 ，他 一下子 就 出名 了 。He became very famous soon after that movie.
- 看到 那 张 照片 ，我 一下子 就 想 起来 了 。It all flashed back to me when I saw that picture.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 126) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (pp. 206) [ →buy]
