Difference between revisions of "Advanced uses of "zong""

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*你们 之间 的 联系 这么 少,看 起来 <em>总</em> <strong>不</strong> 像 是 一 家 人。<span class="trans">You talk to each other so little. It seems that you're barely family. </span>
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*你们 之间 的 联系 这么 少,看 起来 <em>总</em> <strong>不</strong> 像 是 一 家 人。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen zhī jiān de liánxì zhème shǎo, kàn qǐlái <em>zǒng</em> <strong>bù</strong> xiàng shì yījiā rén.</span><span class="trans">You talk to each other so little. It seems that you're barely family. </span>
*他 这么 大 年纪 了,我们 <em>总</em> <strong>不</strong> 能 让 他 一个人 去 吧?<span class="trans">He'e so old. We can't let him go there all alone. What do you think?</span>
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*他 这么 大 年纪 了,我们 <em>总</em> <strong>不</strong> 能 让 他 一个人 去 吧?<span class="pinyin">Tā zhème dà niánjìle, wǒmen <em>zǒng</em> <strong>bù</strong> néng ràng tā yīgè rén qù ba?</span><span class="trans">He's so old. We can't let him go there all alone. What do you think?</span>
*这么 晚 了,<em>总</em> <strong>不</strong> 会 出 了 什么事 吧?<span class="trans">It's getting late. Do you think something bad happened? </span>
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*这么 晚 了,<em>总</em> <strong>不</strong> 会 出 了 什么事 吧?<span class="pinyin">Zhème wǎnle, <em>zǒng</em> <strong>bù</strong> huì chūle shénme shì ba?</span><span class="trans">It's getting late. Do you think something bad happened? </span>
*这 件 事 <em>总</em> <strong>不</strong> 会 是 内部 的 人 做 的 吧?<span class="trans">Do you think this is an inside job? </span>
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*这 件 事 <em>总</em> <strong>不</strong> 会 是 内部 的 人 做 的 吧?<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì <em>zǒng</em> <strong>bù</strong> huì shì nèibù de rén zuò de ba?</span><span class="trans">Do you think this is an inside job? </span>
*他 想 带 父母 去 旅行,可是 <em>总</em> <strong>没</strong> 时间。<span class="trans">He wants to take her parents to travel, but he's always not able to find time.</span>
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*他 想 带 父母 去 旅行,可是 <em>总</em> <strong>没</strong> 时间。<span class="pinyin">Tā xiǎng dài fùmǔ qù lǚxíng, kěshì <em>zǒng</em> <strong>méi</strong> shíjiān.</span><span class="trans">He wants to take her parents to travel, but he's always not able to find time.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 01:27, 20 May 2020

Chinese-grammar-wiki-zong.jpg

总 (zǒng) can often be simply translated as "always," but it has other advanced uses as well. It can express "no matter how long or under what circumstances, facts are facts." It can also express "no matter what." It is often paired with other words to form set phrases such as 总会, 总归, 总得, 总要, 总能, etc. It can also be structured together with other unconditional compound phrases like 无论 and 不管. You cannot place it directly after the verb.


Used with Auxiliary Verb

In this structure, 总, with its companion character (usually a modal/auxiliary verb), means "always will (fill in character/action here)" Once again, it gives the feeling of something very concrete and factual. One of the examples below says "No matter what happens, people have to eat."

Structure

总 + 会 / 得 / 要 / 能 + Verb

Examples

  • 这里 是 他 家,他 总 会 回来 的。Zhèlǐ shì tā jiā, tā zǒng huì huílái de.This is his home. He will always come back.
  • 咱们 总 得 想 个 办法 啊。Zánmen zǒngdé xiǎng gè bànfǎ a.We always have to come up with something to do.
  • 不管 发生 了 什么,人 总 要 吃饭 吧。Bùguǎn fāshēngle shénme, rén zǒng yào chīfàn ba.No matter what happens, people have to eat.
  • 他 是 你 爸爸,你 总 要 礼貌 一点 吧。Tā shì nǐ bàba, nǐ zǒng yào lǐmào yīdiǎn ba.He is your father, you should always a little more polite.
  • 你 拿 了 人家 的 钱,总 得 帮 人家 做 事 吧。Nǐ nále rénjiā de qián, zǒngdé bāng rénjiā zuòshì ba.You took their money, so you're always going to have to help them do stuff.

Used with 不 and 没

When 总 is used together with a negating word (like 不 or 没), it often has a tone of speculation, judgment or suggestion. The sentence often ends with a 吧.

Structure

总 + 不 / 没 + Verb

Examples

  • 你们 之间 的 联系 这么 少,看 起来 像 是 一 家 人。Nǐmen zhī jiān de liánxì zhème shǎo, kàn qǐlái zǒng xiàng shì yījiā rén.You talk to each other so little. It seems that you're barely family.
  • 他 这么 大 年纪 了,我们 能 让 他 一个人 去 吧?Tā zhème dà niánjìle, wǒmen zǒng néng ràng tā yīgè rén qù ba?He's so old. We can't let him go there all alone. What do you think?
  • 这么 晚 了, 会 出 了 什么事 吧?Zhème wǎnle, zǒng huì chūle shénme shì ba?It's getting late. Do you think something bad happened?
  • 这 件 事 会 是 内部 的 人 做 的 吧?Zhè jiàn shì zǒng huì shì nèibù de rén zuò de ba?Do you think this is an inside job?
  • 他 想 带 父母 去 旅行,可是 时间。Tā xiǎng dài fùmǔ qù lǚxíng, kěshì zǒng méi shíjiān.He wants to take her parents to travel, but he's always not able to find time.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books