Difference between revisions of "Listing things with "a""
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| − | When listing nouns belonging to a certain category, 啊 (a) can be added to the end of each noun to give an informal feeling a bit like saying "you know, that kind of thing" after a list of things. | + | When listing nouns belonging to a certain category, 啊 (a) can be added to the end of each noun to give an informal feeling a bit like saying "you know, that kind of thing" after a list of things. You're giving the sense that you're not listing ''every single thing'' that you could; it's a non-exhaustive list. |
==Structure== | ==Structure== | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | A 啊， B 啊， C 啊 (+ 什么的)⋯⋯ | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| − | + | The list can be followed by [[Ending a Non-Exhaustive List with "shenme de"|什么的]], but is not generally followed by [[Non-exhaustive lists with "dengdeng"|等等]] as this feels too formal. | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
==Examples== | ==Examples== | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 我们 什么 零食 都 有，花生 <em>啊</em>，瓜子 <em>啊</em>，薯片 <em>啊</em>，你 随便 吃 吧。<span class="trans">We have all sorts of snacks: peanuts, roasted seeds, chips, go ahead and eat whatever you want.</span> | + | * 我们 什么 零食 都 有，花生 <em>啊</em>，瓜子 <em>啊</em>，薯片 <em>啊</em>，你 随便 吃 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen shénme língshí dōu yǒu, huāshēng <em>a</em>, guāzǐ <em>a</em>, shǔpiàn <em>a</em>, nǐ suíbiàn chī ba.</span><span class="trans">We have all sorts of snacks: peanuts, roasted seeds, chips, go ahead and eat whatever you want.</span> |
| − | * 椅子 <em>啊</em>，桌子 <em>啊</em>，电脑 <em>啊</em> | + | * 小王 <em>啊</em>，小李 <em>啊</em>，小张 <em>啊</em>，他们 都 在 公司，你 可以 找 他们。<span class="pinyin">Xiǎo Wáng <em>a</em>, Xiǎo Lǐ <em>a</em>, Xiǎo Zhāng <em>a</em>, tāmen dōu zài gōngsī, nǐ kěyǐ zhǎo tāmen.</span><span class="trans">Xiao Wang, Xiao Li, and Xiao Zhang all work for the same company, you can ask them.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 手机 有 很 多 功能，比如说 拍照 <em>啊</em>，看视频 <em>啊</em>，听歌 <em>啊</em>，都 可以。<span class="pinyin">Shǒujī yǒu hěn duō gōngnéng, bǐrú shuō pāizhào <em>a</em>, kàn shìpín <em>a</em>, tīng gē <em>a</em>, dōu kěyǐ.</span><span class="trans">Cell phones have many features like taking photos, watching videos, and listening to music. They can do it all.</span> |
| − | </ | + | * 椅子 <em>啊</em>，桌子 <em>啊</em>，电脑 <em>啊 什么的</em> ， 都 买 好 了，现在 办公室 只 差 招 员工 了！<span class="pinyin">Yǐzi <em>a</em>, zhuōzi <em>a</em>, diànnǎo <em>a shénme de</em>, dōu mǎihǎo le, xiànzài bàngōngshì zhǐ chà zhāo yuángōng le!</span><span class="trans">Chairs, tables, computers, and so on have all been bought. Now the office only needs to hire staff!</span> |
| + | * 春节 <em>啊</em>，中秋节 <em>啊</em>，端午节 <em>啊</em>，都 是 中国 重要 的 节日。<span class="pinyin">Chūnjié <em>a</em>, Zhōngqiū Jié <em>a</em>, Duānwǔ Jié <em>a</em>, dōu shì Zhōngguó zhòngyào de jiérì.</span><span class="trans">Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, are all important Chinese holidays.</span> | ||
| + | * 这 首 歌 太 火 了，路上 <em>啊</em>，车上 <em>啊</em>，电视上 <em>啊</em>，都 在 放 这 首 歌。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shǒu gē tài huǒ le, lùshang <em>a</em>, chē shang <em>a</em>, diànshì shang <em>a</em>, dōu zài fàng zhè shǒu gē.</span><span class="trans">This song is too popular! On the street, in the car, on TV, they are all playing this song.</span> | ||
| + | * 《中文 听说读写》 <em>啊</em>，《发展 汉语》 <em>啊</em>， 《实用 汉语 课本》 <em>啊</em>，我 都 学 过！<span class="pinyin">“Zhōngwén Tīng Shuō Dú Xiě” <em>a</em>, “Fāzhǎn Hànyǔ” <em>a</em>, “Shíyòng Hànyǔ Kèběn” <em>a</em>, wǒ dōu xué guo!</span><span class="trans">"Integrated Chinese," "Developing Chinese," and "The Practical Chinese Reader"... I've studied them all!</span> | ||
| + | * 你 去 上海 <em>啊</em>，杭州 <em>啊</em>，南京 <em>啊</em> ， 都 很 方便 的。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ qù Shànghǎi <em>a</em>, Hángzhōu <em>a</em>, Nánjīng <em>a</em>, dōu hěn fāngbiàn de.</span><span class="trans">Going to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, are all very convenient.</span> | ||
| − | + | </div> | |
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Latest revision as of 02:37, 29 December 2020
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Keywords
When listing nouns belonging to a certain category, 啊 (a) can be added to the end of each noun to give an informal feeling a bit like saying "you know, that kind of thing" after a list of things. You're giving the sense that you're not listing every single thing that you could; it's a non-exhaustive list.
Structure
A 啊， B 啊， C 啊 (+ 什么的)⋯⋯
The list can be followed by 什么的, but is not generally followed by 等等 as this feels too formal.
Examples
- 我们 什么 零食 都 有，花生 啊，瓜子 啊，薯片 啊，你 随便 吃 吧。We have all sorts of snacks: peanuts, roasted seeds, chips, go ahead and eat whatever you want.
- 小王 啊，小李 啊，小张 啊，他们 都 在 公司，你 可以 找 他们。Xiao Wang, Xiao Li, and Xiao Zhang all work for the same company, you can ask them.
- 手机 有 很 多 功能，比如说 拍照 啊，看视频 啊，听歌 啊，都 可以。Cell phones have many features like taking photos, watching videos, and listening to music. They can do it all.
- 椅子 啊，桌子 啊，电脑 啊 什么的 ， 都 买 好 了，现在 办公室 只 差 招 员工 了！Chairs, tables, computers, and so on have all been bought. Now the office only needs to hire staff!
- 春节 啊，中秋节 啊，端午节 啊，都 是 中国 重要 的 节日。Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, are all important Chinese holidays.
- 这 首 歌 太 火 了，路上 啊，车上 啊，电视上 啊，都 在 放 这 首 歌。This song is too popular! On the street, in the car, on TV, they are all playing this song.
- 《中文 听说读写》 啊，《发展 汉语》 啊， 《实用 汉语 课本》 啊，我 都 学 过！"Integrated Chinese," "Developing Chinese," and "The Practical Chinese Reader"... I've studied them all!
- 你 去 上海 啊，杭州 啊，南京 啊 ， 都 很 方便 的。Going to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, are all very convenient.
See also
Sources and Further Reading
- 现代汉语八百词 (pp. 47) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy
