Difference between revisions of "Expressing "both A and B" with "you""

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* 他 <em>又</em> 高 <em>又</em> 帅。<span class="trans">He is both tall and handsome.</span>
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* 他 <em>又</em> 高 <em>又</em> 帅。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yòu </em> gāo <em>yòu </em> shuài.</span><span class="trans">He is both tall and handsome.</span>
* 她 <em>又</em> 聪明 <em>又</em> 漂亮。<span class="trans">She is both smart and beautiful。</span>
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* 她 <em>又</em> 聪明 <em>又</em> 漂亮。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yòu </em> cōngmíng <em>yòu </em> piàoliang.</span><span class="trans">She is both smart and beautiful。</span>
* 这 个 啤酒 <em>又</em> 好喝 <em>又</em> 便宜。<span class="trans">This beer is both good-tasting and cheap.</span>
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* 这 个 啤酒 <em>又</em> 好喝 <em>又</em> 便宜。<span class="pinyin">Zhè gè píjiǔ <em>yòu </em> hǎo hē <em>yòu </em> piányí.</span><span class="trans">This beer is both good-tasting and cheap.</span>
* 他 <em>又</em> 丑 <em>又</em> 笨。<span class="trans">He is both ugly and stupid.</span>
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* 他 <em>又</em> 丑 <em>又</em> 笨。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yòu </em> chǒu <em>yòu </em> bèn.</span><span class="trans">He is both ugly and stupid.</span>
* 这 房间 <em>又</em> 大 <em>又</em> 亮。<span class="trans">This apartment is both big and bright.</span>
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* 这 房间 <em>又</em> 大 <em>又</em> 亮。<span class="pinyin">Zhè fángjiān <em>yòu </em> dà <em>yòu </em> liàng.</span><span class="trans">This apartment is both big and bright.</span>
* 你们 老板 <em>又</em>  年轻 <em>又</em> 有钱。<span class="trans">Your boss is both young and rich.</span>
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* 你们 老板 <em>又</em>  年轻 <em>又</em> 有钱。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen lǎobǎn <em>yòu </em> niánqīng <em>yòu </em> yǒu qián.</span><span class="trans">Your boss is both young and rich.</span>
* 这 个 苹果 <em>又</em>  红 <em>又</em> 甜。<span class="trans">This apple is both red and sweet.</span>
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* 这 个 苹果 <em>又</em>  红 <em>又</em> 甜。<span class="pinyin">Zhè gè píngguǒ <em>yòu </em> hóng <em>yòu </em> tián.</span><span class="trans">This apple is both red and sweet.</span>
* 这 个 孩子 <em>又</em>  瘦 <em>又</em> 小。<span class="trans">This child is both thin and small.</span>
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* 这 个 孩子 <em>又</em>  瘦 <em>又</em> 小。<span class="pinyin">Zhè gè háizi <em>yòu </em> shòu <em>yòu </em> xiǎo.</span><span class="trans">This child is both thin and small.</span>
* 小狗 <em>又</em> 可爱 <em>又</em> 听话。<span class="trans">The puppy is both cute and obedient.</span>
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* 小狗 <em>又</em> 可爱 <em>又</em> 听话。<span class="pinyin">Xiǎo gǒu <em>yòu </em> kě'ài <em>yòu </em> tīnghuà.</span><span class="trans">The puppy is both cute and obedient.</span>
* 这 种 东西 真 是 <em>又</em>  贵 <em>又</em> 难吃。<span class="trans">This thing really is both expensive and bad-tasting.</span>
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* 这 种 东西 真 是 <em>又</em>  贵 <em>又</em> 难吃。<span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng dōngxī zhēn shì <em>yòu </em> guì <em>yòu </em> nán chī.</span><span class="trans">This thing really is both expensive and bad-tasting.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 17:54, 21 October 2014

The character 又 (yòu) can be used to attribute two qualities to something. This is like saying that something is "both ... and ... " in English.

Structure

The structure in Chinese is:

Subject + 又 + Adjective 1 + 又 + Adjective 2

Notice that as in English, the two words can't contrast in feeling. They must both be bad or both be good.

Examples

  • 帅。yòu gāo yòu shuài.He is both tall and handsome.
  • 聪明 漂亮。yòu cōngmíng yòu piàoliang.She is both smart and beautiful。
  • 这 个 啤酒 好喝 便宜。Zhè gè píjiǔ yòu hǎo hē yòu piányí.This beer is both good-tasting and cheap.
  • 笨。yòu chǒu yòu bèn.He is both ugly and stupid.
  • 这 房间 亮。Zhè fángjiān yòu yòu liàng.This apartment is both big and bright.
  • 你们 老板 年轻 有钱。Nǐmen lǎobǎn yòu niánqīng yòu yǒu qián.Your boss is both young and rich.
  • 这 个 苹果 甜。Zhè gè píngguǒ yòu hóng yòu tián.This apple is both red and sweet.
  • 这 个 孩子 小。Zhè gè háizi yòu shòu yòu xiǎo.This child is both thin and small.
  • 小狗 可爱 听话。Xiǎo gǒu yòu kě'ài yòu tīnghuà.The puppy is both cute and obedient.
  • 这 种 东西 真 是 难吃。Zhè zhǒng dōngxī zhēn shì yòu guì yòu nán chī.This thing really is both expensive and bad-tasting.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books