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

 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
Often heard when scolding or giving advice (like when parents talk to children) is 少 (shǎo), which can mean "to do less of something."
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The word 少 (shǎo) can mean "few," but when placed before a verb, it takes on the meaning of "less" as in "to do less (of something)." It is often heard when scolding or giving advice (like when parents talk to children). What's not intuitive to learners is that the word should come ''before the verb.''
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 少 + [Verb Phrase]
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少 + Verb  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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.
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Note that in English, we don't use the word "less" very 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 in Chinese.
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*请 <em>少</em> 放 点 盐 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng <em>shǎo</em> fàng diǎn yán.</span><span class="trans">Less salt, please.</span>
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*请 <em>少</em> 放 点 盐 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng <em>shǎo</em> fàng diǎn yán.</span><span class="trans">Use less salt, please.</span>
*我 妈 让 我 <em>少</em> 吃 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ mā ràng wǒ <em>shǎo</em> chī .</span><span class="trans">My mother tells me to eat less spicy food.</span>
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*<em>少</em> 吃 垃圾 食品 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> chī lājī shípǐn.</span><span class="trans">Eat less junk food.</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>
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*<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 it all.</span>
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*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>
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*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">The mid-term exams are coming up. Go easy on the 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> 吃 垃圾 食品 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> chī lājī shípǐn.</span><span class="trans">Eat junk food less.</span>
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*<em>少</em> 点 电视 ,多 看书 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> kàn diǎn diànshì, duō kànshū.</span> <span class="trans">Watch less TV. Read more books.</span>
*<em>少</em> 买 ,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>
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*<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 eat more vegetables.</span>
*<em>少</em> 看 电视 ,多 看书 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> kàn diànshì, duō kànshū.</span> <span class="trans">Watch TV less. Read more.</span>
 
*<em>少</em> 废话 ,快 说 吧 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> fèihuà, kuài shuō ba.</span><span class="trans">Cut the crap. Spill it out.</span>
 
*<em>少</em> 管 我 的 事 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> guǎn wǒ de shì.</span><span class="trans">Stay out of my business.</span>
 
*<em>少</em> 说 空话 ,多 做 实事 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> shuō kōnghuà, duō zuò shíshì.</span><span class="trans">Talk less and get more job done.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==See also==
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== Colloquial Sayings ==
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These set phrases are worth special note, because although they follow the grammar pattern, they might not make sense to you without a little extra explanation, just like the meaning of "come on" might not make sense at first to someone learning English.
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<div class="liju">
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*<em>少</em> 来 !<span class="expl">Lit. "come less"</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> lái!</span><span class="trans">Come on!</span>
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*<em>少</em> 说 废话 !<span class="expl">Lit. "speak less nonsense talk"</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> shuō fèihuà!</span><span class="trans">Quit your babbling!</span>
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*<em>少</em> 管 闲事 。<span class="expl">Lit. "get involved less in others' affairs"</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> guǎn xiánshì.</span><span class="trans">Stay out of other people's business.</span>
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</div>
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== See also ==
  
 
* [[Doing something more with "duo"]]
 
* [[Doing something more with "duo"]]
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 39) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|39}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
  
{{Basic Grammar|少|B1|少 + Verb|废话 <em>少</em> 说!|grammar point|ASG9B0M8}}
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{{Basic Grammar|少|B1|少 + Verb|<em>少</em> 放 点 盐 。|grammar point|ASG9B0M8}}
 
{{Used for|Adding more explanation}}
 
{{Used for|Adding more explanation}}
 
{{Similar|Doing something more with "duo"}}
 
{{Similar|Doing something more with "duo"}}
{{POS|Verb phrases}}
 
 
{{Translation|less}}
 
{{Translation|less}}
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{{POS|Verbs}}
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{{Subprop|Verb phrases}}

Latest revision as of 07:31, 10 May 2021

Chinese-grammar-wiki-shao.jpg

The word 少 (shǎo) can mean "few," but when placed before a verb, it takes on the meaning of "less" as in "to do less (of something)." It is often heard when scolding or giving advice (like when parents talk to children). What's not intuitive to learners is that the word 少 should come before the verb.

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

Note that in English, we don't use the word "less" very 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 in Chinese.

Examples

  • 放 点 盐 。Qǐng shǎo fàng diǎn yán.Use less salt, please.
  • 吃 垃圾 食品 。Shǎo chī lājī shípǐn.Eat less junk food.
  • 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 it 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.The mid-term exams are coming up. Go easy on the 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 less TV. Read more books.
  • 吃 点 肉 ,多 吃 点 蔬菜 。Shǎo chī diǎn ròu, duō chī diǎn shūcài.Eat less meat and eat more vegetables.

Colloquial Sayings

These set phrases are worth special note, because although they follow the grammar pattern, they might not make sense to you without a little extra explanation, just like the meaning of "come on" might not make sense at first to someone learning English.

  • 来 !Lit. "come less"Shǎo lái!Come on!
  • 说 废话 !Lit. "speak less nonsense talk"Shǎo shuō fèihuà!Quit your babbling!
  • 管 闲事 。Lit. "get involved less in others' affairs"Shǎo guǎn xiánshì.Stay out of other people's business.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4