Difference between revisions of "Comparing "buduan" and "buting""

 
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If something keeps happening and won't stop happening, we say that it is "continuous" or "incessant." In Chinese, the words are 不断 (bùduàn) and 不停 (bùtíng). These two words are usually adverbs in Chinese, but they can sometimes be adjectives too. Their uses are subtly different, so this article will help you distinguish when and where to use them.
If something keeps happening and won't stop happening, we say that it is "continuous" or "incessant." In Chinese, the words are "不断" (bùduàn) and "不停" (bùtíng). Instead of usually being adjectives, these two words are usually adverbs (but they can sometimes be adjectives too!). However, they are used in different ways and different places, so this article will help you distinguish when and where to use them.
 
  
 
==不断==
 
==不断==
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Subj. + 不断 + 地 + Verb
 
Subj. + 不断 + 地 + Verb
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Subj. + 不停 + 地 + Verb
 
Subj. + 不停 + 地 + Verb
 
 
</div>
 
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<div class="liju">
 
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*我 今天 很 困,<em>不停地</em> 打 哈欠。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān hěn kùn, <em>bù tíng de</em> dǎ hāqian.</span><span class="trans">I'm so tired today. I can't stop yawning.</span>
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*我 今天 很 困,<em>不 停 地</em> 打 哈欠。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān hěn kùn, <em>bù tíng de</em> dǎ hāqian.</span><span class="trans">I'm so tired today. I can't stop yawning.</span>
*感冒了,喉咙 痛,还 <em>不停地</em> 流 鼻涕。<span class="pinyin">Gǎnmào le, hóulóng tòng, hái <em>bù tíng de</em> liú bítì.</span><span class="trans">I got a cold. My throat hurts and my nose keeps running.</span>
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*感冒 了,喉咙 痛,还 <em>不 停 地</em> 流 鼻涕。<span class="pinyin">Gǎnmào le, hóulóng tòng, hái <em>bù tíng de</em> liú bítì.</span><span class="trans">I got a cold. My throat hurts and my nose runs constantly.</span>
*吃饭 的时候 一句话 也 不 说,<em>不停地</em> 吃。<span class="pinyin">Chīfàn de shíhòu yījù huà yě bù shuō, <em>bù tíng de</em> chī.</span><span class="trans">When he's eating, he doesn't say anything. He doesn't stop eating.</span>
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*吃饭 的 时候 一 句 话 也 不 说,<em>不 停 地</em> 吃。<span class="pinyin">Chīfàn de shíhou yī jù huà yě bù shuō, <em>bù tíng de</em> chī.</span><span class="trans">When he's eating, he doesn't say anything. He doesn't stop eating.</span>
 
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Subj. + Verb + 个 + 不停  
 
Subj. + Verb + 个 + 不停  
 
 
</div>
 
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*孩子 <strong>哭</strong> <em>个 不停</em>,是 不 是 发烧 了?<span class="pinyin">Háizi <strong>kū</strong> <em>gè bù tíng</em>, shì bùshì fāshāo le?</span><span class="trans">The child is crying constantly. Does he have a fever?</span>
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*孩子 <strong>哭</strong> <em>个 不停</em>,是 不 是 发烧 了?<span class="pinyin">Háizi <strong>kū</strong> <em>gè bù tíng</em>, shì bu shì fāshāo le?</span><span class="trans">The child is crying constantly. Does he have a fever?</span>
*你 一直 <strong>说</strong> <em> 个 不停</em>,太 吵 了,不 要 再 说 了。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yīzhí shuō gè bùtíng, tài chǎo le, bù yào zài shuō le.</span><span class="trans">You've been talking non-stop. It's too noisy.</span>
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*你 一直 <strong>说</strong> <em> 个 不停</em>,太 吵 了,不 要 再 说 了。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yīzhí shuō gè bùtíng, tài chǎo le, bùyào zài shuō le.</span><span class="trans">You've been talking non-stop. It's too noisy.</span>
*今天 电话 <strong>响</strong><em> 个 不停</em>,烦 死 了。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān diànhuà <strong>xiǎng</strong> <em>gè bù tíng</em>, fán sǐ le.</span><span class="trans">The phone is ringing incessantly today, it's so annoying.</span>
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*今天 电话 <strong>响</strong><em> 个 不停</em>,烦 死 了。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān diànhuà <strong>xiǎng</strong> <em>gè bù tíng</em>, fán sǐ le.</span><span class="trans">The phone is ringing off the hook today. It's so annoying.</span>
*一天到晚 老婆 <strong>唠叨</strong> <em> 个 不停</em>,你 受 得 了 吗?<span class="pinyin">Yītiān dào wǎn lǎopó <strong>láo dāo</strong> <em>gè bù tíng</em>, nǐ shòu dé le ma</span><span class="trans">In the evening, the wife doesn't stop chatting. Can you stand it?</span>
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*一天到晚 老婆 <strong>唠叨</strong> <em> 个 不停</em>,你 受得了 吗?<span class="pinyin">Yītiān dào wǎn lǎopo <strong>láodao</strong> <em>gè bù tíng</em>, nǐ shòu deliǎo ma?</span><span class="trans">All day long, the wife doesn't stop nagging. Would you be able to stand it?</span>
 
 
 
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==Sources and Further Reading==
 
  
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|不断|B2|不断 vs 不停|她 <em>不断</em> 地 找 我,每次 都 说 个 <em>不停</em>。|grammar point|ASGIKHUH}}
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{{Basic Grammar|不断|C1|不断 vs 不停|她 <em>不断</em> 地 找 我,每次 都 说 个 <em>不停</em>。|grammar point|ASGIKHUH}}
 
{{Rel char|不停}}
 
{{Rel char|不停}}
 
{{Similar|"All along" with "yizhi"}}   
 
{{Similar|"All along" with "yizhi"}}   

Latest revision as of 10:18, 14 January 2021

If something keeps happening and won't stop happening, we say that it is "continuous" or "incessant." In Chinese, the words are 不断 (bùduàn) and 不停 (bùtíng). These two words are usually adverbs in Chinese, but they can sometimes be adjectives too. Their uses are subtly different, so this article will help you distinguish when and where to use them.

不断

"不断" is usually placed before the verb it modifies, and it often requires the particle "地" to show that it is an adverb.

Subj. + 不断 + 地 + Verb

Examples

  • 客户 不断地 改变 主意,怎么 办?Kèhù bùduàn de gǎibiàn zhǔyì, zěnme bàn?The client won't stop changing his ideas. What should I do?
  • 过去 的 两 年 里,我们 不断地 在 努力,也 不断地 在 进步。Guòqù de liǎng nián lǐ, wǒmen bùduàn de zài nǔlì, yě bùduàn de zài jìnbù.For two years, we continuously pushed ourselves and continuously improved.
  • 他们 之间 的 矛盾 一直 不断,关系 不断 恶化。Tāmen zhī jiān de máodùn yīzhí bùduàn, guānxì bùduàn èhuà.The argument between them is ongoing. The relationship is consistently worsening.

不停

"不停" is a little more versatile and can be placed both before the verb as an adverb, or after the verb as something that is somewhat like a complement. Either way, it means the same thing.

Subj. + 不停 + 地 + Verb

Examples

  • 我 今天 很 困,不 停 地 打 哈欠。Wǒ jīntiān hěn kùn, bù tíng de dǎ hāqian.I'm so tired today. I can't stop yawning.
  • 感冒 了,喉咙 痛,还 不 停 地 流 鼻涕。Gǎnmào le, hóulóng tòng, hái bù tíng de liú bítì.I got a cold. My throat hurts and my nose runs constantly.
  • 吃饭 的 时候 他 一 句 话 也 不 说,不 停 地 吃。Chīfàn de shíhou tā yī jù huà yě bù shuō, bù tíng de chī.When he's eating, he doesn't say anything. He doesn't stop eating.

When "不停" comes after the verb, it behaves somewhat strangely and takes "个" before it in order to become grammatical, like so:

Subj. + Verb + 个 + 不停

Examples

  • 孩子 个 不停,是 不 是 发烧 了?Háizi gè bù tíng, shì bu shì fāshāo le?The child is crying constantly. Does he have a fever?
  • 你 一直 个 不停,太 吵 了,不 要 再 说 了。Nǐ yīzhí shuō gè bùtíng, tài chǎo le, bùyào zài shuō le.You've been talking non-stop. It's too noisy.
  • 今天 电话 个 不停,烦 死 了。Jīntiān diànhuà xiǎng gè bù tíng, fán sǐ le.The phone is ringing off the hook today. It's so annoying.
  • 一天到晚 老婆 唠叨 个 不停,你 受得了 吗?Yītiān dào wǎn lǎopo láodao gè bù tíng, nǐ shòu deliǎo ma?All day long, the wife doesn't stop nagging. Would you be able to stand it?
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