Difference between revisions of "Expressing "simply" with "jianzhi""

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简直 (jiǎnzhí) is similar to "simply" or "completely" in English, and can be used to modify adjectives or verbs, adding a tone of amazement on the part of the speaker.  
 
简直 (jiǎnzhí) is similar to "simply" or "completely" in English, and can be used to modify adjectives or verbs, adding a tone of amazement on the part of the speaker.  
  
==Using 简直 to modify verbs==
+
== Used as "simply" ==
  
 
===Basic structure===
 
===Basic structure===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
+
Subj. + 简直 + Predicate
Subj. + 简直 + Verb
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* <em>简直</em> 人。<span class="trans">You simply aren't a person.</span>
+
*<em>简直</em> 是 个 魔鬼 !<span class="trans">He is simply a monster!</span>
* 你 的 房间 <em>简直</em> 像 一 个 战场,快点 收拾 收拾!<span class="trans">Your room looks like a complete war zone. Hurry up and clean it!</span>
+
*他 唱歌 <em>简直</em> 难听 死了 !<span class="trans">His singing is simply awful!</span>
* 我 <em>简直</em> 不敢 相信!<span class="trans">I simply can't bring myself to believe it.</span>
+
*我 <em>简直</em> 想 不 明白 他 为什么 这么 傻 !<span class="trans">I just don't understand why he's so stupid.</span>
* 我 <em>简直</em> 不 知道 怎么 说服 你。<span class="trans">I just don't know how I should persuade you.</span>
+
*我 <em>简直</em> 不 敢 相信 !<span class="trans">I simply can't bring myself to believe it.</span>
 +
*我 <em>简直</em> 不 知道 怎么 教 这样 的 学生 !<span class="trans">I justd don't know how I should teach such kind of students.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
简直 is often used with "就是在 + verb" or "是在 + verb" structure. In English we might say: "He's simply lying to you."
+
== Used as "truly" ==
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
* 三星 的 智能 手机 <em>简直</em> 就是 在 模仿 iPhone。<span class="trans">The Samsung smartphones are just a copy of the iPhone.</span>
 
* 他 <em>简直</em> 是 在 骗 你。<span class="trans">He's just lying to you.</span>
 
 
 
</div>
 
  
===Complex structure===
+
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + 简直 + Adj.
 +
</div>
  
Subj. + (Obj.) + Verb + 得 + 简直 + Adj.
+
=== Examples ===
  
</div>  
+
<div class="liju">
 +
*我 <em>简直</em> 太 笨 了!<span class="trans">I'm simply too stupid!</span>
 +
*你 男 朋友 <em>简直</em> 太 帅 了 !<span class="trans">Your boyfriend is simply so handsome!</span>
 +
</div>
  
===Examples===
+
However, although it is possible in English to  say something is "simply beautiful,"  in Chinese, 简直 cannot be followed directly by an unmodified adjective. Check out the following examples:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 他 普通话 说 得 <em>简直</em> 比 中国人 还 标准!<span class="trans">He simply speaks Mandarin more correctly than Chinese people!</span>
+
<ul>
* 中国 的 高速 铁路 修建 得 <em>简直</em> 太 !<span class="trans">China's elevated railroad was simply built really fast!</span>
+
<li class="x">她  <em>简直</em> 漂亮 !</li>
 
+
<li class="x">她  <em>简直</em> 很 漂亮 !</li>
 +
<li class="o">她  <em>简直</em> 太 漂亮 !</li>
 +
<li class="o">她  <em>简直</em> 漂亮 极 了 !</li>
 +
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==Using 简直 to modify adjectives==
+
== Used as "basically" ==
  
===Structure===
+
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
+
Subj. + 简直 + Predicate
Subj. + 简直 + Adj.
 
 
 
 
</div>  
 
</div>  
  
===Examples===
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 你 的 男 朋友 <em>简直</em>(是)太 帅 了!<span class="trans">Your boyfriend is just so handsome!</span>
 
* 他 的 考试 成绩 <em>简直</em> 好极 了!<span class="trans">His test grades are simply fantastic!</span>
 
 
</div>
 
  
However, although it is possible in English to  say something is "simply beautiful," in Chinese, 简直 cannot be followed directly by an unmodified adjective. Modifiers like [[Expressing "excessively" with "tai"|太]],  [[Simple "noun + Adj." sentences|很]] and [[Positive adjectives with "-ji le"|极了]] can be used, as in the following examples:
+
* 他 <em>简直</em> 是 在 骗 人 。<span class="trans">He's just lying to you.</span>
 +
*他们 <em>简直</em> 就是 在 抄 我们 的 创意 。<span class="trans">They are basically stealing our creativity.</span>
  
<div class="liju">
 
<ul>
 
<li class="x">她  <em>简直</em> 漂亮!</li>
 
<li class="o">她  <em></em> 很 漂亮!</li>
 
<li class="o">她  <em>简直</em> 太 漂亮 了!</li>
 
<li class="o">她  <em>简直</em> 漂亮 极 了!</li>
 
</ul>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==See also==
+
== See also ==
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
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[[Category: B2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category: B2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|简直|B2|简直⋯⋯|她 感动 得 <em>简直</em> 要 哭 出来 了 。|grammar point|ASG8OLAE}}
+
{{Basic Grammar|简直|B2|简直⋯⋯|她 <em>简直</em> 要 哭 出来 了 。|grammar point|ASG8OLAE}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{Used for| Expressing quality}}
 
{{Used for| Expressing quality}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
 
{{Translation|just}}
 
{{Translation|just}}

Revision as of 09:10, 27 October 2017

Chinese-grammar-wiki-简直.jpg

简直 (jiǎnzhí) is similar to "simply" or "completely" in English, and can be used to modify adjectives or verbs, adding a tone of amazement on the part of the speaker.

Used as "simply"

Basic structure

Subj. + 简直 + Predicate

Examples

  • 简直 是 个 魔鬼 !He is simply a monster!
  • 他 唱歌 简直 难听 死了 !His singing is simply awful!
  • 简直 想 不 明白 他 为什么 这么 傻 !I just don't understand why he's so stupid.
  • 简直 不 敢 相信 !I simply can't bring myself to believe it.
  • 简直 不 知道 怎么 教 这样 的 学生 !I justd don't know how I should teach such kind of students.

Used as "truly"

Structure

Subj. + 简直 + Adj.

Examples

  • 简直 太 笨 了!I'm simply too stupid!
  • 你 男 朋友 简直 太 帅 了 !Your boyfriend is simply so handsome!

However, although it is possible in English to say something is "simply beautiful," in Chinese, 简直 cannot be followed directly by an unmodified adjective. Check out the following examples:

  • 简直 漂亮 !
  • 简直 很 漂亮 !
  • 简直 太 漂亮 了 !
  • 简直 漂亮 极 了 !

Used as "basically"

Structure

Subj. + 简直 + Predicate

Examples

  • 简直 是 在 骗 人 。He's just lying to you.
  • 他们 简直 就是 在 抄 我们 的 创意 。They are basically stealing our creativity.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5