Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not very" with "bu tai""

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You may be familiar with using [[Expressing "excessively" with tai|太 (tài) to express "too"]] in the sense of "too expensive." There's a similar pattern in the negative, which just means "not very" or "not so" (literally "not too").  Note that this pattern does not normally use 了 (le).
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You may be familiar with using [[Expressing "excessively" with tai|太 (tài) to express "too,"]] such as when something is "too expensive" or "too hot." 不太 (bù tài) is a similar pattern for the negative, which just means "not very" or "not so" (literally "not too").  Note that this pattern does not normally use 了 (le).
  
== “不太” with adjectives ==
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== 不太 (bù tài) with Adjectives ==
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Subject + 不太 + Adjective
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Subj. + 不太 + Adj.
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives.  See below for more info.
 
Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives.  See below for more info.
  
=== Examples with adjectives ===
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* <em>不 太</em> 高兴。<span class="trans">He is not too happy.</span>
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*我 家 <em>不 太</em> 大。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā <em>bù tài</em> dà.</span><span class="trans">My house is not too big.</span>
* 她 <em>不 太</em> 漂亮。<span class="trans">She is not too pretty.</span>
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*那 个 地方 <em>不 太</em> 远。<span class="pinyin">Nàge dìfang <em>bù tài</em> yuǎn.</span><span class="trans">That place is not very far away.</span>
* 老师 <em>不 太</em> 友好。<span class="trans">The teacher is not too friendly.</span>
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*老板 今天 <em>不 太</em> 高兴。<span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn jīntiān <em>bù tài</em> gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">The boss is not very happy today.</span>
* 北京 <em>不 太</em> 舒服。<span class="trans">Beijing is not too comfortable.</span>
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*这 个 店 的 衣服 <em>不 太</em> 贵。<span class="pinyin">Zhège diàn de yīfu <em>bù tài</em> guì.  </span><span class="trans">The clothes in this shop are not too expensive.</span>
* 这 个 店 的 衣服 <em>不 太</em> 贵。<span class="trans">The clothes in this shop are not too expensive.</span>
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*我 觉得 他 <em>不 太</em> 聪明。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde tā <em>bù tài</em> cōngming.</span><span class="trans">I think he is not too smart.</span>
* 我 觉得 他 <em>不 太</em> 聪明。<span class="trans">I think he is not too clever.</span>
 
* 这 个 房间 <em>不 太</em> 大。<span class="trans">This apartment is not too big.</span>
 
* 那 个 地方 <em>不 太</em> 远。<span class="trans">That place is not very far away.</span>
 
* 这 个 苹果 <em>不 太</em> 好吃。<span class="trans">This apple is not very tasty.</span>
 
* 现在 <em>不 太</em> 热。<span class="trans">Today it is not too hot.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==“不太” with verbs==
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== 不太 (bù tài) with Verbs ==
  
===Structure===
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=== Structure ===
  
This pattern can be used with some psychological verbs (e.g. 喜欢, 想,明白), as in the next two examples. These verbs are relatively limited. The examples below have some frequently used verbs. Of course “不太” can also be used with optative verbs (verbs that express a desire or wish in the subjunctive tense, e.g. 愿意,希望,会), however, this usage is used for the speculation of the possibility that something will happen.
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This pattern can be used with some [[psychological verb]]s (e.g. 喜欢 (xǐhuan), 想 (xiǎng), 明白 (míngbai)), as is the case with the next examples. These verbs are relatively limited.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Subject + 不太 + Verb
+
Subj. + 不太 + Verb
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Examples with verbs ===
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <em>不 太</em> 喜欢 我 的 工作。<span class="trans">I don't really like my job.</span>
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*我 <em>不 太</em> 懂 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù tài</em> dǒng.</span><span class="trans">I don't really understand.</span>
* <em>不 太</em> 想 去 。<span class="trans">He doesn't really want to go.</span>
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*<em>不 太</em> 会 说 英语 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù tài</em> huì shuō Yīngyǔ.</span><span class="trans">I can't really speak English.</span>
* <em>不 太</em> 想 我 的 家人。<span class="trans">I don't really miss my family.</span>
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*他们 <em>不 太</em> 想 去 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>bù tài</em> xiǎng qù.</span><span class="trans">They don't really want to go.</span>
* 我 <em>不 太</em> 理解 你 的 做法。<span class="trans">I don't really understand your method.</span>
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*我 哥哥 <em>不 太</em> 喜欢 他 的 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ gēge <em>bù tài</em> xǐhuan tā de gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">My older brother doesn't really like his job.</span>
* 女人 <em>不 太</em> 关心 政治。<span class="trans">Women are not too concerned about politics.</span>
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*<em>不 太</em> 明白 老板 的 意思 。<span class="pinyin"><em>bù tài</em> míngbai lǎobǎn de yìsi.  </span><span class="trans">He didn't really understand what the boss meant.</span>
* 我觉得你 <em>不 太</em> 了解 我们 公司。<span class="trans">I think that you don't really understand our company.</span>
 
* <em>不 太</em> 相信 他 已经 结婚 了。<span class="trans">I am not too convinced that he is already married.</span>
 
* 我 <em>不 太</em> 明白 你 的 意思。<span class="trans">I don't really understand your meaning.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 200) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
+
{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|200}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1]] (pp. 180-1) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
+
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1|180-181) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
 +
{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)|109}}
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 +
{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
 
[[Category:Adverbs]]
 
[[Category:Adverbs]]
{{Basic Grammar|太|A2|不太 + Adj|他 <em>不太</em> 高兴 。我 <em>不太</em> 喜欢。|grammar point|ASGUNMHU}}
+
{{Basic Grammar|太|A2|不太 + Adj.|他 <em>不太</em> 高兴 。我 <em>不太</em> 喜欢。|grammar point|ASGUNMHU}}
 
{{Rel char|不}}
 
{{Rel char|不}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing "excessively" with tai}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing "excessively" with tai}}

Latest revision as of 09:20, 20 April 2021

Chinese-grammar-wiki-bu.jpg

You may be familiar with using 太 (tài) to express "too," such as when something is "too expensive" or "too hot." 不太 (bù tài) is a similar pattern for the negative, which just means "not very" or "not so" (literally "not too"). Note that this pattern does not normally use 了 (le).

不太 (bù tài) with Adjectives

Structure

Subj. + 不太 + Adj.

Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives. See below for more info.

Examples

  • 我 家 不 太 大。Wǒ jiā bù tài dà.My house is not too big.
  • 那 个 地方 不 太 远。Nàge dìfang bù tài yuǎn.That place is not very far away.
  • 老板 今天 不 太 高兴。 Lǎobǎn jīntiān bù tài gāoxìng.The boss is not very happy today.
  • 这 个 店 的 衣服 不 太 贵。Zhège diàn de yīfu bù tài guì. The clothes in this shop are not too expensive.
  • 我 觉得 他 不 太 聪明。Wǒ juéde tā bù tài cōngming.I think he is not too smart.

不太 (bù tài) with Verbs

Structure

This pattern can be used with some psychological verbs (e.g. 喜欢 (xǐhuan), 想 (xiǎng), 明白 (míngbai)), as is the case with the next examples. These verbs are relatively limited.

Subj. + 不太 + Verb

Examples

  • 不 太 懂 。bù tài dǒng.I don't really understand.
  • 不 太 会 说 英语 。bù tài huì shuō Yīngyǔ.I can't really speak English.
  • 他们 不 太 想 去 。 Tāmen bù tài xiǎng qù.They don't really want to go.
  • 我 哥哥 不 太 喜欢 他 的 工作 。Wǒ gēge bù tài xǐhuan tā de gōngzuò.My older brother doesn't really like his job.
  • 不 太 明白 老板 的 意思 。bù tài míngbai lǎobǎn de yìsi. He didn't really understand what the boss meant.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1|180-181) →buy