Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not at all" with "yidianr ye bu""
 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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Sometimes we may want to say something is "not even the least bit [adjective]." For example, we might say in English: "I am not at all hungry."  In Chinese, we can use 一点也不 (yīdiǎnr yě bù) or 一点都不 (yīdiǎnr dōu bù) to express "not at all [adjective]."
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Sometimes we may want to say something is "not even the least bit [adjective]." For example, we might say in English: "I am not at all hungry."  In Chinese, we can use 一点(儿)也不 (yīdiǎnr yě bù) or 一点(儿)都不 (yīdiǎnr dōu bù) to express "not at all [adjective]."
  
 
== Used with Adjectives ==  
 
== Used with Adjectives ==  
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*这个 菜 <em>一点 都 不</em> 好吃 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège cài <em>yīdiǎn dōu bù</em> hǎochī.</span><span class="trans">This dish isn't tasty at all.</span>
 
*这个 菜 <em>一点 都 不</em> 好吃 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège cài <em>yīdiǎn dōu bù</em> hǎochī.</span><span class="trans">This dish isn't tasty at all.</span>
 
*我 同事 <em>一点 都 不</em> 幽默 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ tóngshì <em>yīdiǎn dōu bù</em> yōumò.</span><span class="trans">My colleague is not humorous at all.</span>
 
*我 同事 <em>一点 都 不</em> 幽默 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ tóngshì <em>yīdiǎn dōu bù</em> yōumò.</span><span class="trans">My colleague is not humorous at all.</span>
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*这个 笑话 <em>一点 也 不</em> 好笑 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège xiàohuà <em>yīdiǎn yě bù</em> hǎoxiào.</span><span class="trans">This joke isn't funny at all.</span>
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*这个 笑话 <em>一点 也 不</em> 好笑 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège xiàohua <em>yīdiǎn yě bù</em> hǎoxiào.</span><span class="trans">This joke isn't funny at all.</span>
  
 
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== Used with Verbs ==
 
== Used with Verbs ==
  
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This describes the Subj. as being "not at all ''adjective''" or "not even slightly ''adjective''." [[Psychological verbs]] can also appear in place of the adjective in this structure.
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This describes the subject as being "not at all ''adjective''" or "not even slightly ''adjective''." [[Psychological verbs]] can also appear in place of the adjective in this structure.
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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Subj. + 一点 + 也 / 都 + 不 + [Verb Phrase]
 
Subj. + 一点 + 也 / 都 + 不 + [Verb Phrase]
 
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If the verb has an object, it sometimes gets moved to the front of the sentence.
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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*你 <em>一点 也 不</em> 会 说 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yīdiǎn yě bù</em> huì shuō ma?</span><span class="trans">You can't speak at all?</span>
 
*你 <em>一点 也 不</em> 会 说 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yīdiǎn yě bù</em> huì shuō ma?</span><span class="trans">You can't speak at all?</span>
 
*她 <em>一点 都 不</em> 知道 这 件 事 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yīdiǎn dōu bù</em> zhīdào zhè jiàn shì.</span><span class="trans">She doesn't know about this at all.</span>
 
*她 <em>一点 都 不</em> 知道 这 件 事 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yīdiǎn dōu bù</em> zhīdào zhè jiàn shì.</span><span class="trans">She doesn't know about this at all.</span>
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*我 儿子 <em>一点 都 不</em> 爱 玩 游戏 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ érzi <em>yīdiǎn dōu bù</em> ài wán yóuxì.</span><span class="trans">My son doesn't like playing video games at all.</span>
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*我 儿子 <em>一点 都 不</em> 爱 玩 游戏 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ érzi <em>yīdiǎn dōu bù</em> ài wán yóuxì.</span><span class="trans">My son doesn't like to play games at all.</span>
  
 
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*我 <em>一点 也</em> <strong>没</strong> 生气 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yīdiǎn yě</em> <strong>méi</strong> shēngqì.</span><span class="trans">I wasn't angry at all.</span>
 
*我 <em>一点 也</em> <strong>没</strong> 生气 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yīdiǎn yě</em> <strong>méi</strong> shēngqì.</span><span class="trans">I wasn't angry at all.</span>
 
*她 <em>一点 都</em> <strong>没</strong> 准备 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yīdiǎn dōu</em> <strong>méi</strong> zhǔnbèi.</span><span class="trans">She didn't prepare at all.</span>
 
*她 <em>一点 都</em> <strong>没</strong> 准备 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yīdiǎn dōu</em> <strong>méi</strong> zhǔnbèi.</span><span class="trans">She didn't prepare at all.</span>
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*作业 他 <em>一点 都</em> <strong>没</strong> 做 ？<span class="pinyin">Zuòyè tā <em>yīdiǎn dōu</em> <strong>méi</strong> zuò?</span><span class="trans">He didn't do his homework at all?</span>
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*作业 他 <em>一点 都</em> <strong>没</strong> 做 ？<span class="expl">The object 作业 got moved to the front</span><span class="pinyin">Zuòyè tā <em>yīdiǎn dōu</em> <strong>méi</strong> zuò?</span><span class="trans">He didn't do his homework at all?</span>
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*这个 菜 你们 怎么 <em>一点 也</em> <strong>没</strong> 吃 ？<span class="pinyin">Zhège cài nǐmen zěnme <em>yīdiǎn yě</em> <strong>méi</strong> chī?</span><span class="trans">Why didn't you eat this dish at all?</span>
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*这个 菜 你们 怎么 <em>一点 也</em> <strong>没</strong> 吃 ？<span class="expl">The object 这个菜 got moved to the front</span><span class="pinyin">Zhège cài nǐmen zěnme <em>yīdiǎn yě</em> <strong>méi</strong> chī?</span><span class="trans">Why didn't you eat this dish at all?</span>
  
 
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{{Similar|Comparing "youdian" and "yidian"}}
 
{{Similar|Comparing "youdian" and "yidian"}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
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{{Subprop|Basic/Simple Sentence Patterns}}

Latest revision as of 07:13, 29 November 2018

Sometimes we may want to say something is "not even the least bit [adjective]." For example, we might say in English: "I am not at all hungry." In Chinese, we can use 一点(儿)也不 (yīdiǎnr yě bù) or 一点(儿)都不 (yīdiǎnr dōu bù) to express "not at all [adjective]."

Used with Adjectives

The phrases 一点(儿)也不 and 一点(儿)都不 can both be used to express "not at all."

Structure

Subj. + 一点(儿) + 也 / 都 + 不 + Adj.

Examples

  • 那个 问题 一点儿 也 不 难 。Nàge wèntí yīdiǎnr yě bù nán.That question isn't difficult at all.
  • 这个 菜 一点 都 不 好吃 。Zhège cài yīdiǎn dōu bù hǎochī.This dish isn't tasty at all.
  • 我 同事 一点 都 不 幽默 。Wǒ tóngshì yīdiǎn dōu bù yōumò.My colleague is not humorous at all.
  • 这个 笑话 一点 也 不 好笑 。Zhège xiàohua yīdiǎn yě bù hǎoxiào.This joke isn't funny at all.

Used with Verbs

This describes the subject as being "not at all adjective" or "not even slightly adjective." Psychological verbs can also appear in place of the adjective in this structure.

Structure

Subj. + 一点 + 也 / 都 + 不 + [Verb Phrase]

If the verb has an object, it sometimes gets moved to the front of the sentence.

Examples

  • 我 一点 也 不 喜欢 奶酪 。Wǒ yīdiǎn yě bù xǐhuan nǎilào.I don't like cheese at all.
  • 你 一点 也 不 会 说 吗 ？Nǐ yīdiǎn yě bù huì shuō ma?You can't speak at all?
  • 她 一点 都 不 知道 这 件 事 。Tā yīdiǎn dōu bù zhīdào zhè jiàn shì.She doesn't know about this at all.
  • 我 儿子 一点 都 不 爱 玩 游戏 。Wǒ érzi yīdiǎn dōu bù ài wán yóuxì.My son doesn't like to play games at all.

The phrases "一点也没 " and "一点都没 " can also be used to express "not at all ." This is used when the statement uses or implies the verb negative form of 有 in the past.

  • 我 一点 也 没 生气 。Wǒ yīdiǎn yě méi shēngqì.I wasn't angry at all.
  • 她 一点 都 没 准备 。Tā yīdiǎn dōu méi zhǔnbèi.She didn't prepare at all.
  • 作业 他 一点 都 没 做 ？The object 作业 got moved to the frontZuòyè tā yīdiǎn dōu méi zuò?He didn't do his homework at all?
  • 这个 菜 你们 怎么 一点 也 没 吃 ？The object 这个菜 got moved to the frontZhège cài nǐmen zěnme yīdiǎn yě méi chī?Why didn't you eat this dish at all?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4




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