Difference between revisions of "Doing something less with "shao""

Line 21: Line 21:
 
*<em>少</em> 买 点 ,吃不完 会 坏 的 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> mǎi diǎn, chī bu wán huì huài de.</span><span class="trans">Don't buy too much. It will go bad if we can't finish eating all.</span>
 
*<em>少</em> 买 点 ,吃不完 会 坏 的 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> mǎi diǎn, chī bu wán huì huài de.</span><span class="trans">Don't buy too much. It will go bad if we can't finish eating all.</span>
 
*你 能不能 <em>少</em> 抽 点 烟 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng bu néng <em>shǎo</em> chōu diǎn yān?</span><span class="trans">Can you smoke less?</span>
 
*你 能不能 <em>少</em> 抽 点 烟 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng bu néng <em>shǎo</em> chōu diǎn yān?</span><span class="trans">Can you smoke less?</span>
*<em>少</em> 吃 点 肉 ,多 吃 点 蔬菜 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> chī diǎn ròu, duō chī diǎn shūcài.</span><span class="trans">Eat less meat and more vegetables.</span>
 
 
*快 期中 考试 了 ,<em>少</em> 玩 点 游戏 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Kuài qīzhōng kǎoshì le, <em>shǎo</em> wán diǎn yóuxì ba.</span><span class="trans">You're going to take the mid-term exam. Stop playing so much video games.</span>
 
*快 期中 考试 了 ,<em>少</em> 玩 点 游戏 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Kuài qīzhōng kǎoshì le, <em>shǎo</em> wán diǎn yóuxì ba.</span><span class="trans">You're going to take the mid-term exam. Stop playing so much video games.</span>
 
*<em>少</em> 喝 点 ,明天 还要 上班 呢 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> hē diǎn, míngtiān háiyào shàngbān ne.</span><span class="trans">Don't drink so much. You need go to work tomorrow.</span>
 
*<em>少</em> 喝 点 ,明天 还要 上班 呢 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> hē diǎn, míngtiān háiyào shàngbān ne.</span><span class="trans">Don't drink so much. You need go to work tomorrow.</span>
 
*<em>少</em> 看 点 电视 ,多 看书 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> kàn diǎn diànshì, duō kànshū.</span> <span class="trans">Watch TV less. Read more.</span>
 
*<em>少</em> 看 点 电视 ,多 看书 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> kàn diǎn diànshì, duō kànshū.</span> <span class="trans">Watch TV less. Read more.</span>
 +
*<em>少</em> 吃 点 肉 ,多 吃 点 蔬菜 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> chī diǎn ròu, duō chī diǎn shūcài.</span><span class="trans">Eat less meat and more vegetables.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>

Revision as of 01:48, 25 December 2017

Chinese-grammar-wiki-shao.jpg

Often heard when scolding or giving advice (like when parents talk to children) is 少 (shǎo), which can mean "to do less of something."

Structure

Just as you can use 多 to talk about doing something more, you can use 少 to talk about doing something less.

少 + [Verb Phrase]

Note that in English we don't use the word "less" so much. For example, rather than saying "drink less water," we might say "don't drink so much water." In Chinese, though, using 少 is quite natural and common. Avoiding the negative command (telling someone not to do something) is also a subtle way of sounding less bossy and annoying.

Examples

  • 放 点 盐 。Qǐng shǎo fàng diǎn yán.Less salt, please.
  • 吃 垃圾 食品 。Shǎo chī lājī shípǐn.Eat junk food less.
  • 买 点 ,吃不完 会 坏 的 。Shǎo mǎi diǎn, chī bu wán huì huài de.Don't buy too much. It will go bad if we can't finish eating all.
  • 你 能不能 抽 点 烟 ?Nǐ néng bu néng shǎo chōu diǎn yān?Can you smoke less?
  • 快 期中 考试 了 , 玩 点 游戏 吧 。Kuài qīzhōng kǎoshì le, shǎo wán diǎn yóuxì ba.You're going to take the mid-term exam. Stop playing so much video games.
  • 喝 点 ,明天 还要 上班 呢 。Shǎo hē diǎn, míngtiān háiyào shàngbān ne.Don't drink so much. You need go to work tomorrow.
  • 看 点 电视 ,多 看书 。Shǎo kàn diǎn diànshì, duō kànshū. Watch TV less. Read more.
  • 吃 点 肉 ,多 吃 点 蔬菜 。Shǎo chī diǎn ròu, duō chī diǎn shūcài.Eat less meat and more vegetables.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4