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

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*我 <em>简直</em> 不 明白 他 为什么 这么 傻 !<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiǎnzhí</em> bù míngbái tā wèishéme zhème shǎ!</span><span class="trans">I just don't understand why he's so stupid.</span>
 
*我 <em>简直</em> 不 明白 他 为什么 这么 傻 !<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiǎnzhí</em> bù míngbái tā wèishéme zhème shǎ!</span><span class="trans">I just don't understand why he's so stupid.</span>
 
*我 <em>简直</em> 不 知道 怎么 教 这样 的 学生 !<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiǎnzhí</em> bù zhīdào zěnme jiào zhèyàng de xuéshēng!</span><span class="trans">I just don't know how I should teach such kinds of students.</span>
 
*我 <em>简直</em> 不 知道 怎么 教 这样 的 学生 !<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiǎnzhí</em> bù zhīdào zěnme jiào zhèyàng de xuéshēng!</span><span class="trans">I just don't know how I should teach such kinds of students.</span>
*妈妈 做的 蛋糕 好吃 极了, <em>简直</em> 比 商店 卖的 蛋糕 还 好吃!<span class="pinyin">Māmā zuò de dàngāo hào chī jí le, <em>jiǎnzhí</em> bǐ shāngdiàn mài de dàngāo hái hào chī!</span><span class="trans">The cake mom made is delicious, compared to the cake you can buy in stores it is still better.</span>
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*妈妈 做的 蛋糕 好吃 极了, <em>简直</em> 比 商店 卖的 蛋糕 还 好吃!<span class="pinyin">Māmā zuò de dàngāo hǎochī jí le, <em>jiǎnzhí</em> bǐ shāngdiàn mài de dàngāo hái hǎochī!</span><span class="trans">The cake mom made is delicious, compared to the cake you can buy in stores it is still better.</span>
 
*我 听到 这个 消息, <em>简直</em> 像 吃 了 一 块 非常 甜的 糖。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ tīng dào zhège xiāoxī, <em>jiǎnzhí</em> xiàng chīle yīkuài fēicháng tián de táng.</span><span class="trans">I heard this news and it was like eating a super sweet piece of candy.</span>
 
*我 听到 这个 消息, <em>简直</em> 像 吃 了 一 块 非常 甜的 糖。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ tīng dào zhège xiāoxī, <em>jiǎnzhí</em> xiàng chīle yīkuài fēicháng tián de táng.</span><span class="trans">I heard this news and it was like eating a super sweet piece of candy.</span>
  

Revision as of 09:25, 9 November 2020

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

  • 这里 简直 是 天堂!Zhèlǐ jiǎnzhí shì tiāntáng!This is just a church.
  • 他 唱歌 简直 难听 死了 !Tā chànggē jiǎnzhí nántīng sǐ le!His singing is simply awful!
  • 你 男 朋友 简直 太 帅 了 !Nǐ nán péngyou jiǎnzhí tài shuài le!Your boyfriend is simply so handsome!
  • 简直 不 明白 他 为什么 这么 傻 !jiǎnzhí bù míngbái tā wèishéme zhème shǎ!I just don't understand why he's so stupid.
  • 简直 不 知道 怎么 教 这样 的 学生 !jiǎnzhí bù zhīdào zěnme jiào zhèyàng de xuéshēng!I just don't know how I should teach such kinds of students.
  • 妈妈 做的 蛋糕 好吃 极了, 简直 比 商店 卖的 蛋糕 还 好吃!Māmā zuò de dàngāo hǎochī jí le, jiǎnzhí bǐ shāngdiàn mài de dàngāo hái hǎochī!The cake mom made is delicious, compared to the cake you can buy in stores it is still better.
  • 我 听到 这个 消息, 简直 像 吃 了 一 块 非常 甜的 糖。Wǒ tīng dào zhège xiāoxī, jiǎnzhí xiàng chīle yīkuài fēicháng tián de táng.I heard this news and it was like eating a super sweet piece of candy.


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 !jiǎnzhí tài piàoliangle!She is simply too beautiful!
  • 简直 漂亮 极 了 !jiǎnzhí piàoliang jíle!She is just so beautiful!

Used as "basically"

When followed immediately by 是, the word 简直 takes on a meaning similar to "basically." Notice also that it's not an adjectival phrase that follows, but a verb phrase.

Structure

Subj. + 简直 + 是 + Predicate

Examples

  • 简直 是 骗 人 。jiǎnzhí shì piàn rén.He's just lying to you.
  • 简直 是 多管闲事 。jiǎnzhí shì duō guǎn xiánshì.You are simply too nosy.
  • 这 个 小狗 简直 是 可爱 极了,越 看 越 喜欢。Zhè gè xiǎo gǒu jiǎnzhí shì kě'ài jí le, yuè kàn yuè xǐhuān.This puppy is just too cute, the more you look at him the more you like him.
  • 他们 简直 就是 在 抄 我们 的 创意 。Tāmen jiǎnzhí jiùshì zài chāo wǒmen de chuàngyì.They are basically stealing our creativity.
  • 你这样做,简直 是 在 破坏 气氛。Nǐ zhèyàng zuò, jiǎnzhí shì zài pòhuài qìfēn.What you are doing is basically destroying the atmosphere.
  • 他 是 羽毛球 冠军,和 你 打 羽毛球 简直 是 太 简单 了 。Tā shì yǔmáoqiú guànjūn, hé nǐ dǎ yǔmáoqiú jiǎnzhí shì tài jiǎndān le.He is a badminton champion, and playing badminton against you is simply too easy.
  • 我 一 个 月 没 吃 肉 了,简直 是 在 挑战 我 自己。Wǒ yī gè yuè méi chī ròule, jiǎnzhí shì zài tiǎozhàn wǒ zìjǐ.I didn't eat meat for a month just to challenge myself.


See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5