Difference between revisions of "Result complement "-xiaqu""

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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
  
下去 (xiàqù) is one of the most often heard result complements. Master how to use it with this article!
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下去 (xiàqù) can be used as a [[result complement]] to talk about things ''continuing'' or ''carrying on''. Think of it as a figurative way of "keeping the ball rolling" (downhill).
  
== Structure ==
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== Affirmative Form ==
  
下去 can be used as a [[result complement]] to talk about things ''continuing'' or ''carrying on''.  Think of it as a figurative way of "keeping the ball rolling" (downhill).
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Structure-wise, this pattern is the same as other [[result complement]]s.
  
It can be used in a positive way as well as in a negative way.
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=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Subj. + Verb + 下去
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</div>
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=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
  
Subject + Verb + 下去
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*<strong>说</strong> <em>下去</em> 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Shuō</strong> <em>xiàqù</em>.</span><span class="trans">Keep talking.</span>
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*这 本 书 你 一定 要 认真 地 <strong>看</strong> <em>下去</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè běn shū nǐ yīdìng yào rènzhēn de <strong>kàn</strong> <em>xiàqù</em>.</span><span class="trans">You must keep reading this book carefully.</span>
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*这样 做 很 有 意义 ,你 应该 <strong>做</strong> <em>下去</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèyàng zuò hěn yǒu yìyì, nǐ yīnggāi <strong>zuò</strong> <em>xiàqù</em>.</span><span class="trans">It's very meaningful to do this. You should keep doing it.</span>
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*他 走 了 ,因为 他 没脸 <strong>待</strong> <em>下去</em> 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zǒu le, yīnwèi tā méiliǎn <strong>dāi</strong> <em>xiàqù</em> le.</span><span class="trans">He left because he felt shame if he stayed.</span>
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*你 不能 这样 <strong>生活</strong> <em>下去</em> 了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù néng zhèyàng <strong>shēnghuó</strong> <em>xiàqù</em> le.</span><span class="trans">You can't keep living like this.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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== Negative Form ==
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Strictly speaking, simply adding 不 in front of the main verb is all it takes to create the negative form. But it's actually more common to use this negative [[potential complement]] form. So it's not just "not go on" (doing something), but actually "''can't'' go on" (doing something).
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=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + Verb + 不 + 下去 (+ 了)
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</div>
 +
 +
Note that 了 is often used when it's negated.
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=== Examples ===
  
Subject + Verb + + 下去
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<div class="liju">
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 +
*这个 故事 太 无聊 了 ,我 听 <em>不 下去</em> <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège gùshi tài wúliáo le, wǒ tīng <em>bu xiàqù</em> <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">This story is too boring, I can't keep listening.</span>
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*这个 电影 太 暴力 了 ,我 看 <em>不 下去</em> <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège diànyǐng tài bàolì le, wǒ kàn <em>bu xiàqù</em> <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">This movie is too violent. I can't keep watching it.</span>
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*你 说话 太 恶心 了 ,我 吃 <em>不 下去</em> <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shuōhuà tài ěxīn le, wǒ chī <em>bu xiàqù</em> <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The way you talk is so disgusting. I can't continue eating my food.</span>
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*这个 宾馆 太 脏 了 ,我 待 <em>不 下去</em> <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège bīnguǎn tài zāng le, wǒ dāi <em>bu xiàqù</em> <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">This hotel is too dirty. I can't stay here any longer.</span>
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*我 跟 他 过 <em>不 下去</em> <strong>了</strong> ,我 要 离婚 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ gēn tā guò <em>bu xiàqù</em> <strong>le</strong>, wǒ yào líhūn.</span><span class="trans">I can't go on like this with him. I want a divorce.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Some examples:
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== Used with 再 ==
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When the adverb [[再]] comes before the verb, there's an implication that if "things keep going on this way," then something bad is going to happen.
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 +
A few examples:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 这个 故事 太 无聊 了, 我听不<em>下去</em>了。<span class="trans">This story is too boring,I can't keep listening to it.</span>
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*你 <strong>再</strong> 赌 <em>下去</em> <strong>会</strong> 输光 的 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zài</strong> dǔ <em>xiàqù</em> <strong>huì</strong> shūguāng de.</span><span class="trans">If you keep gambling, you're going to lose all your money.</span>
* 这 个 菜 很 难吃 , 我 吃 不 <em>下去</em>。<span class="trans">This food is disgusting. I can't keep eating it.</span>
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*你 <strong>再</strong> 喝 <em>下去</em> <strong>就</strong> 醉 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zài</strong> <em>xiàqù</em> <strong>jiù</strong> zuì le.</span><span class="trans">If you keep drinking you're going to get drunk.</span>
* 这个 电影 画面 太 残忍 了,我 看 不 <em>下去</em>了!<span class="trans">This scene in the movie is too cruel.I can't keep seeing it.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==See also==
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== See also ==
  
 
* [[Potential complement "bu xia"]]
 
* [[Potential complement "bu xia"]]
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (pp. 184) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|184}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 232-3) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|232-3}}
* [[Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 2 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇)]] (pp. 137) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00112ZL5A/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00112ZL5A →buy]
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{{Source|Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 2 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇)|137}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (pp. 184) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|184}}
*[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册)]] (p. 429)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy]
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{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册)|429}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
 
[[Category:Result complement]]
 
[[Category:Result complement]]
  
{{Basic Grammar|下去|B1|V + 下去|不 能 一直 这样 做 <em>下去</em>。|grammar point|ASG1PTJX}}
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{{Basic Grammar|下去|B1|Verb + 下去|这个 故事 太 无聊 了 ,我 听 <em>下去</em> <strong>了</strong> 。|grammar point|ASG1PTJX}}
 
{{Rel char|下}}
 
{{Rel char|下}}
 
{{Rel char|去}}
 
{{Rel char|去}}

Latest revision as of 07:56, 22 April 2019

下去 (xiàqù) can be used as a result complement to talk about things continuing or carrying on. Think of it as a figurative way of "keeping the ball rolling" (downhill).

Affirmative Form

Structure-wise, this pattern is the same as other result complements.

Structure

Subj. + Verb + 下去

Examples

  • 下去Shuō xiàqù.Keep talking.
  • 这 本 书 你 一定 要 认真 地 下去Zhè běn shū nǐ yīdìng yào rènzhēn de kàn xiàqù.You must keep reading this book carefully.
  • 这样 做 很 有 意义 ,你 应该 下去Zhèyàng zuò hěn yǒu yìyì, nǐ yīnggāi zuò xiàqù.It's very meaningful to do this. You should keep doing it.
  • 他 走 了 ,因为 他 没脸 下去 了 。Tā zǒu le, yīnwèi tā méiliǎn dāi xiàqù le.He left because he felt shame if he stayed.
  • 你 不能 这样 生活 下去 了 。Nǐ bù néng zhèyàng shēnghuó xiàqù le.You can't keep living like this.

Negative Form

Strictly speaking, simply adding 不 in front of the main verb is all it takes to create the negative form. But it's actually more common to use this negative potential complement form. So it's not just "not go on" (doing something), but actually "can't go on" (doing something).

Structure

Subj. + Verb + 不 + 下去 (+ 了)

Note that 了 is often used when it's negated.

Examples

  • 这个 故事 太 无聊 了 ,我 听 不 下去 Zhège gùshi tài wúliáo le, wǒ tīng bu xiàqù le.This story is too boring, I can't keep listening.
  • 这个 电影 太 暴力 了 ,我 看 不 下去 Zhège diànyǐng tài bàolì le, wǒ kàn bu xiàqù le.This movie is too violent. I can't keep watching it.
  • 你 说话 太 恶心 了 ,我 吃 不 下去 Nǐ shuōhuà tài ěxīn le, wǒ chī bu xiàqù le.The way you talk is so disgusting. I can't continue eating my food.
  • 这个 宾馆 太 脏 了 ,我 待 不 下去 Zhège bīnguǎn tài zāng le, wǒ dāi bu xiàqù le.This hotel is too dirty. I can't stay here any longer.
  • 我 跟 他 过 不 下去 ,我 要 离婚 。Wǒ gēn tā guò bu xiàqù le, wǒ yào líhūn.I can't go on like this with him. I want a divorce.

Used with 再

When the adverb comes before the verb, there's an implication that if "things keep going on this way," then something bad is going to happen.

A few examples:

  • 下去 输光 的 。zàixiàqù huì shūguāng de.If you keep gambling, you're going to lose all your money.
  • 下去 醉 了 。 zàixiàqù jiù zuì le.If you keep drinking you're going to get drunk.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books