Difference between revisions of "Result complements "-dao" and "-jian""

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[[Result complement]]s are a huge topic in Chinese grammar, but you can approach them in stages. The structure you come across the most is a verb with 到 (dào) or 见 (jiàn):
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[[Result complement]]s are a huge topic in Chinese grammar, but you can approach them in stages. The structure you come across the most is a verb with 到 (dào):
  
 
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What 到 does is indicate that the outcome of the verb is achieved - what its ''result'' is. Without them, the sentence would describe only the action itself. In English "to look" is similar to "我看" and "to see in English.
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What 到 does is indicate that the outcome of the verb is achieved - what its ''result'' is. Without a result complement, the sentence would describe only the action itself. To illustrate, 想 "to think" is the action of thinking, whereas 想到 "to realize" is a  the result of that process.
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The complement 见 is very similar to 到, and it is used in the same way:
  
 
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However, 见 is generally only used after verbs involving sense, like 听 and 看, whereas 到 can be attached to a large variety of verbs.
  
 
Some examples:
 
Some examples:
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* 你 看 <em>见</em> 了 那 个 人 吗?
 
* 你 看 <em>见</em> 了 那 个 人 吗?
 
* 我 买 <em>到</em> 了 一 些 水果。
 
* 我 买 <em>到</em> 了 一 些 水果。
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* 小 时候 没 学过 乐器, 我 <em>感到</em> 很 遗憾。
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* 你 的 手机 号码 里 怎么 有 那么 多 个 八?没 <em>想 到</em> 你 那么 迷信!
  
 
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As in the last sentence, this structure can be negated using 没.
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:Result complement]]
 
[[Category:Result complement]]

Revision as of 05:57, 19 October 2011

Result complements are a huge topic in Chinese grammar, but you can approach them in stages. The structure you come across the most is a verb with 到 (dào):

Subject + Verb + 到 + Object

What 到 does is indicate that the outcome of the verb is achieved - what its result is. Without a result complement, the sentence would describe only the action itself. To illustrate, 想 "to think" is the action of thinking, whereas 想到 "to realize" is a the result of that process.

The complement 见 is very similar to 到, and it is used in the same way:

Subject + Verb + 见 + Object

However, 见 is generally only used after verbs involving sense, like 听 and 看, whereas 到 can be attached to a large variety of verbs.

Some examples:

  • 了 吗?
  • 你 看 了 那 个 人 吗?
  • 我 买 了 一 些 水果。
  • 小 时候 没 学过 乐器, 我 感到 很 遗憾。
  • 你 的 手机 号码 里 怎么 有 那么 多 个 八?没 想 到 你 那么 迷信!

As in the last sentence, this structure can be negated using 没.