Difference between revisions of "Expressing "each other" with "bici""

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彼此 (bǐcǐ) is a personal pronoun. 彼 (bǐ) is an archaic word meaning 那 (nà) or "that," and 此 (cǐ) means 这 (zhè) or "this." Therefore, 彼此 (bǐcǐ) literally means "that and this," and is used in modern times to mean "you and me".
  
彼此(bǐcǐ) is a personal pronoun. 彼(bǐ) means “那” (nà) or "that", and 此(cǐ) means “这” (zhè) or "this". Therefore, 彼此(bǐcǐ) can be translated to "that and this" or "you and me".
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== Basic Usage as Subject or Object ==
 
 
彼此,人称代词。彼(bǐ)是“那”,此(cǐ)是“这”,彼此(bǐcǐ)的意思是“那个和这个”或者“你和我”。
 
 
 
== Basic Usage ==
 
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
As a personal pronoun, 彼此(bǐcǐ) is often used as a subject or attributive modifier. When used as an attributive modifier, the verb must be disyllabic and is quite formal in tone.
 
  
作为人称代词,“彼此”常用作主语、宾语。做宾语时,动词必须是双音节且比较正式的。
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As a personal pronoun, 彼此 (bǐcǐ) is often used as a subject. When used as an object, the verb must be disyllabic and is quite formal in tone.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
彼此 + Verb
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彼此 + Predicate
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*我们 只 见 过 一 次 ,<em>彼此</em> 不是 很 了解 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zhǐ jiànguò yīcì, <em>bǐcǐ</em> bùshì hěn liǎojiě.</span><span class="trans">We've only met once. We don't know each other well.</span>
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*我们 只 见 过 一 次 ,<em>彼此</em> 不 是 很 了解 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zhǐ jiàn guo yī cì, <em>bǐcǐ</em> bù shì hěn liǎojiě.</span><span class="trans">We've only met once. We don't know each other well.</span>
*我们 是 一个 团队 ,<em>彼此</em> 应该 多 沟通 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen shì yīgè tuánduì, <em>bǐcǐ</em> yīnggāi duō gōutōng.</span><span class="trans">We're a team. We should communicate more.</span>
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*我们 是 一个 团队 ,<em>彼此</em> 应该 多 沟通 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen shì yī gè tuánduì, <em>bǐcǐ</em> yīnggāi duō gōutōng.</span><span class="trans">We're a team. We should communicate more.</span>
*我 很 尊重 我 的 对手 ,我 希望 <em>彼此</em> 都 能 有 好 的 表现 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ hěn zūnzhòng wǒ de duìshǒu, wǒ xīwàng <em>bǐcǐ</em> dōu néng yǒu hǎo de biǎoxiàn.</span><span class="trans">I respect my opponent very much. I hope we both can play our best.</span>
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*我 很 尊重 我 的 对手 ,我 希望 <em>彼此</em> 都 能 有 好 的 表现 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ hěn zūnzhòng wǒ de duìshǒu, wǒ xīwàng <em>bǐcǐ</em> dōu néng yǒu hǎo de biǎoxiàn.</span><span class="trans">I respect my opponent very much. I hope we both can perform well.</span>
*我们 是 一家人 ,必须 好好 照顾 <em>彼此</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen shì yījiā rén, bìxū hǎohǎo zhàogù <em>bǐcǐ</em>.</span><span class="trans">We're family. We must look after each other very well.</span>
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*我们 是 一家人 ,必须 好好 照顾 <em>彼此</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen shì yī jiā rén, bìxū hǎohāo zhàogù <em>bǐcǐ</em>.</span><span class="trans">We're a family. We must do a good job looking after each other.</span>
*好朋友 总是 会 陪伴 <em>彼此</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Hǎo péngyou zǒng shì huì péibàn <em>bǐcǐ</em>.</span><span class="trans">Best friends will always be there for each other.</span>
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*好 朋友 总是 会 陪伴 <em>彼此</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Hǎo péngyou zǒng shì huì péibàn <em>bǐcǐ</em>.</span><span class="trans">Good friends always spend time with each other.</span>
*你们 是 夫妻 ,怎么 一点也不 信任 <em>彼此</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen shì fūqī, zěnme yīdiǎn yě bù xìnrèn <em>bǐcǐ</em>?</span><span class="trans">You're husband and wife. How can you not trust each other at all?</span>
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*你们 是 夫妻 ,怎么 一点 也 不 信任 <em>彼此</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen shì fūqī, zěnme yīdiǎn yě bù xìnrèn <em>bǐcǐ</em>?</span><span class="trans">You're husband and wife. How can you not trust each other at all?</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
Sometimes you can also use 彼此(bǐcǐ) as an attributive to make the meaning of the modified noun more abstract.
 
  
有时也可以用作定语,被修饰名词的意义通常都比较抽象。
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== Basic Usage as an Attributive ==
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As a personal pronoun, 彼此 (bǐcǐ) is often used as an attributive, modifying a noun.
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=== Structure ===
 +
 
 +
Sometimes you can also use 彼此 (bǐcǐ) before a noun to make the meaning of the modified noun more abstract.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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</div>
 
</div>
  
A few examples:
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*过去 一年 ,我们 见证 了<em>彼此</em> 的 进步 。<span class="pinyin">Guòqù yī nián, wǒmen jiànzhèngle <em>bǐcǐ</em> de jìnbù.</span><span class="trans"> Over the past year, we have witnessed each other's progress.</span>
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*过去 一年 ,我们 见证 了 <em>彼此</em> 的 进步 。<span class="pinyin">Guòqù yī nián, wǒmen jiànzhèng le <em>bǐcǐ</em> de jìnbù.</span><span class="trans"> Over the past year, we have witnessed each other's progress.</span>
 
*大家 都 很 辛苦 ,我们 需要 尊重 <em>彼此</em> 的 努力 。<span class="pinyin">Dàjiā dōu hěn xīnkǔ, wǒmen xūyào zūnzhòng <em>bǐcǐ</em> de nǔlì.</span><span class="trans"> Everyone is facing hardships, we need to respect each other's efforts.</span>
 
*大家 都 很 辛苦 ,我们 需要 尊重 <em>彼此</em> 的 努力 。<span class="pinyin">Dàjiā dōu hěn xīnkǔ, wǒmen xūyào zūnzhòng <em>bǐcǐ</em> de nǔlì.</span><span class="trans"> Everyone is facing hardships, we need to respect each other's efforts.</span>
*我们 十年 没 见 了 ,对 <em>彼此</em> 的 生活 都 不 了解 ,也 很 惊讶 <em>彼此</em> 的 变化 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen shí nián méi jiànle, duì <em>bǐcǐ</em> de shēnghuó dōu bù liǎojiě, yě hěn jīngyà bǐcǐ de biànhuà.</span><span class="trans">It's been ten years since we last met. We don't really know about each other's lives and we are very surprised about each other's changes.</span>
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*我们 十年 没 见 了 ,对 <em>彼此</em> 的 生活 都 不 了解 ,也 很 惊讶 <em>彼此</em> 的 变化 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen shí nián méi jiàn le, duì <em>bǐcǐ</em> de shēnghuó dōu bù liǎojiě, yě hěn jīngyà bǐcǐ de biànhuà.</span><span class="trans">It had been ten years since we last met. We didn't really know about each other's lives and we were surprised at how the other had changed.</span>
 
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*我们 了解 了 <em>彼此</em> 的 需求 ,再也 不 吵架 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen liǎojiě le <em>bǐcǐ</em> de xūqiú, zài yě bù chǎojià le.</span><span class="trans">We came to understand each other's needs and didn't argue again.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
== Using 彼此 Idiomatically ==
 
== Using 彼此 Idiomatically ==
  
When speaking colloquially, you can repeat “彼此“ twice: “彼此彼此”. It's a type of idiom that can mean "Everyone is the same" or "We are all the same".
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When speaking colloquially, you can repeat 彼此 twice: “彼此彼此”. It's a type of idiom that can mean "Everyone is the same" or "We are both the same".
  
在口语中,“彼此“可以重叠为“彼此彼此”,是一种客套话,意思是“大家都一样,我们差不多”。
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<div class="liju">
 
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<ul class="dialog">
== See also ==
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span>你 的 家 真 不错。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de jiā zhēn bùcuò.</span><span class="trans">What a nice home you have.</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>彼此 彼此</em> !<span class="pinyin">Bǐcǐ bǐcǐ!</span><span class="trans">Same, same!</span></li>
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</ul>
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</div>
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==

Latest revision as of 09:38, 14 January 2021

Chinese-grammar-wiki-bici.jpg

彼此 (bǐcǐ) is a personal pronoun. 彼 (bǐ) is an archaic word meaning 那 (nà) or "that," and 此 (cǐ) means 这 (zhè) or "this." Therefore, 彼此 (bǐcǐ) literally means "that and this," and is used in modern times to mean "you and me".

Basic Usage as Subject or Object

Structure

As a personal pronoun, 彼此 (bǐcǐ) is often used as a subject. When used as an object, the verb must be disyllabic and is quite formal in tone.

彼此 + Predicate

Verb + 彼此

Examples

  • 我们 只 见 过 一 次 ,彼此 不 是 很 了解 。Wǒmen zhǐ jiàn guo yī cì, bǐcǐ bù shì hěn liǎojiě.We've only met once. We don't know each other well.
  • 我们 是 一个 团队 ,彼此 应该 多 沟通 。Wǒmen shì yī gè tuánduì, bǐcǐ yīnggāi duō gōutōng.We're a team. We should communicate more.
  • 我 很 尊重 我 的 对手 ,我 希望 彼此 都 能 有 好 的 表现 。Wǒ hěn zūnzhòng wǒ de duìshǒu, wǒ xīwàng bǐcǐ dōu néng yǒu hǎo de biǎoxiàn.I respect my opponent very much. I hope we both can perform well.
  • 我们 是 一家人 ,必须 好好 照顾 彼此Wǒmen shì yī jiā rén, bìxū hǎohāo zhàogù bǐcǐ.We're a family. We must do a good job looking after each other.
  • 好 朋友 总是 会 陪伴 彼此Hǎo péngyou zǒng shì huì péibàn bǐcǐ.Good friends always spend time with each other.
  • 你们 是 夫妻 ,怎么 一点 也 不 信任 彼此Nǐmen shì fūqī, zěnme yīdiǎn yě bù xìnrèn bǐcǐ?You're husband and wife. How can you not trust each other at all?

Basic Usage as an Attributive

As a personal pronoun, 彼此 (bǐcǐ) is often used as an attributive, modifying a noun.

Structure

Sometimes you can also use 彼此 (bǐcǐ) before a noun to make the meaning of the modified noun more abstract.

彼此 + 的 + Noun

Examples

  • 过去 一年 ,我们 见证 了 彼此 的 进步 。Guòqù yī nián, wǒmen jiànzhèng le bǐcǐ de jìnbù. Over the past year, we have witnessed each other's progress.
  • 大家 都 很 辛苦 ,我们 需要 尊重 彼此 的 努力 。Dàjiā dōu hěn xīnkǔ, wǒmen xūyào zūnzhòng bǐcǐ de nǔlì. Everyone is facing hardships, we need to respect each other's efforts.
  • 我们 十年 没 见 了 ,对 彼此 的 生活 都 不 了解 ,也 很 惊讶 彼此 的 变化 。Wǒmen shí nián méi jiàn le, duì bǐcǐ de shēnghuó dōu bù liǎojiě, yě hěn jīngyà bǐcǐ de biànhuà.It had been ten years since we last met. We didn't really know about each other's lives and we were surprised at how the other had changed.
  • 我们 了解 了 彼此 的 需求 ,再也 不 吵架 了 。Wǒmen liǎojiě le bǐcǐ de xūqiú, zài yě bù chǎojià le.We came to understand each other's needs and didn't argue again.

Using 彼此 Idiomatically

When speaking colloquially, you can repeat 彼此 twice: “彼此彼此”. It's a type of idiom that can mean "Everyone is the same" or "We are both the same".

  • A:你 的 家 真 不错。Nǐ de jiā zhēn bùcuò.What a nice home you have.
  • B:彼此 彼此Bǐcǐ bǐcǐ!Same, same!

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5