Difference between revisions of "Simultaneous tasks with "yibian""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
Multitasking is vital to life in the modern world (what else are you doing while you read this?), so it's also important tolearn a way to express simultaneous tasks in Chinese! This can be done with 一边 (yībiān).
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Multitasking is everywhere in the modern world (what else are you doing while you read this?), but you if can ''focus'' for just a minute, you can learn a way to express simultaneous tasks in Chinese! This can be done with 一边 (yībiān).
  
=== Structure ===
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== Structure ==
  
 
To express that one thing is done ''while'' doing something else, the word 一边 (yībiān) is used.  
 
To express that one thing is done ''while'' doing something else, the word 一边 (yībiān) is used.  
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
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Subj. + 一边 + Verb (,) + 一边 + Verb
Subj. + 一边 + Verb, + 一边 + Verb
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
Note that you sometimes see 一边 (yībiān) shortened to 边 (biān) as well, which has a less formal feel.
 
Note that you sometimes see 一边 (yībiān) shortened to 边 (biān) as well, which has a less formal feel.
  
=== Examples ===
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== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 不要 <em>一边</em> 吃 东西,<em>一边</em> 说话。<span class="pinyin">Bù yào <em>yībiān</em>  chī dōngxi, <em>yībiān</em> shuōhuà. </span><span class="trans">Don't talk while eating. </span>
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*不要 <em>一边</em> 吃 东西,<em>一边</em> 说话 。<span class="pinyin">Bùyào <em>yībiān</em>  chī dōngxi, <em>yībiān</em> shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">Don't speak while eating.</span>
* 我 常常 <em>一边</em> 洗澡, <em>一边</em> 唱歌。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ chángcháng <em>yībiān</em> xǐzǎo, <em>yībiān</em> chànggē. </span><span class="trans">I often sing while I take a shower. </span>
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*我 常常 <em>一边</em> 洗澡, <em>一边</em> 唱歌 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ chángcháng <em>yībiān</em> xǐzǎo, <em>yībiān</em> chànggē.</span><span class="trans">I often sing songs while I take a shower.</span>
* 小孩子 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 吃 饭, <em>一边</em> 玩。<span class="pinyin">Xiǎoháizi xǐhuan <em>yībiān</em> chīfàn, <em>yībiān</em> wán. </span><span class="trans">Children like to eat while playing. </span>
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*孩子 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 吃饭, <em>一边</em> 玩 。<span class="pinyin">Háizi xǐhuan <em>yībiān</em> chīfàn, <em>yībiān</em> wán.</span><span class="trans">Children like to play while eating.</span>
* 你 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 听 音乐, <em>一边</em> 做 作业 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xǐhuan <em>yībiān</em> tīng yīnyuè, <em>yībiān</em> zuò zuòyè ma? </span><span class="trans">Do you like to listen to music while doing homework? </span>
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*你 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 听 音乐, <em>一边</em> 做 作业 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xǐhuan <em>yībiān</em> tīng yīnyuè, <em>yībiān</em> zuò zuòyè ma? </span><span class="trans">Do you like to listen to music while doing homework? </span>
* 我们 <em>一边</em> 走 <em>一边</em> 聊 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>yībiān</em> zǒu <em>yībiān</em> liáo ba. </span><span class="trans">Let's talk while we walk. </span>
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*我们 <em>一边</em> 走 <em>一边</em> 聊 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>yībiān</em> zǒu <em>yībiān</em> liáo ba.</span><span class="trans">Let's walk while we talk.</span>
* 请 你 <em>一边</em> 读 <em>一边</em> 写。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng nǐ <em>yībiān</em> dú <em>yībiān</em> xiě. </span><span class="trans">Please write while you read. </span>
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*请 你 <em>一边</em> 读 <em>一边</em> 写 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng nǐ <em>yībiān</em> dú <em>yībiān</em> xiě.</span><span class="trans">Please write as you read.</span>
* 不要 <em>一边</em> 开车, <em>一边</em> 打电话。<span class="pinyin">Bù yào <em>yībiān</em> kāichē, <em>yībiān</em> dǎ diànhuà. </span><span class="trans">Don't talk on the phone while you drive. </span>
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*不要 <em>一边</em> 开车, <em>一边</em> 打电话 。<span class="pinyin">Bùyào <em>yībiān</em> kāichē, <em>yībiān</em> dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">Don't talk on the phone while you drive.</span>
* 老板 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 抽烟, <em>一边</em> 工作。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xǐhuan <em>yībiān</em> chōuyān, <em>yībiān</em> gōngzuò. </span><span class="trans">The boss likes to smoke while working. </span>
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*老板 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 抽烟,<em>一边</em> 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xǐhuan <em>yībiān</em> chōuyān, <em>yībiān</em> gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">The boss likes to smoke while working.</span>
* 很多 人 都 <em>一边</em> 上班, <em>一边</em> 玩 手机。<span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén dōu <em>yībiān</em> shàngbān, <em>yībiān</em> wán shǒujī. </span><span class="trans">Many people play with their cellphone while working. </span>
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*很多 人 都 <em>一边</em> 上班, <em>一边</em> 玩 手机 。<span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén dōu <em>yībiān</em> shàngbān, <em>yībiān</em> wán shǒujī.</span><span class="trans">Many people play with their cell phones while working.</span>
* 她老公 很忙,她 常常 <em>一边</em> 做饭, <em>一边</em> 带 小孩。<span class="pinyin"> Tā lǎogōng hěn máng, tā chángcháng <em>yībiān</em> zuò fàn, <em>yībiān</em> dài xiǎohái. </span><span class="trans">Her husband is very busy. She often looks after the baby while cooking food. </span>
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*常常 <em>一边</em> 做饭,<em>一边</em> 带 孩子 。<span class="pinyin">Tā chángcháng <em>yībiān</em> zuòfàn, <em>yībiān</em> dài háizi.</span><span class="trans">She often looks after the baby while cooking food.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Note that you must be actively doing both actions. That is, they have to be intentional. If you want to say something happened while another thing was happening, it would be better to [[At the time when|use "的时候"]] (de shíhou).
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You'll notice that the order of the two actions is sometimes different in the original Chinese and the English translations above. This is because the "main" action usually comes second in English (after the "while"), but first in Chinese. For example, "take a shower while singing" sounds strange in English, but "sing while taking a shower" doesn't.
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Note that you must be actively doing both actions. That is, they have to be intentional. If you want to say something happened while another thing was happening, it would be better to use [[Expressing "when" with "de shihou"|的时候 (de shíhou)]].
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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* [[Expressing simultaneous actions with "yimian"]]
 
* [[Expressing simultaneous actions with "yimian"]]
* [["Along with…" using "suizhe"]]
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* [[Aspect particle "zhe"]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (p. 207) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 3|111}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (p. 17) [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|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|207}}
* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (p. 269) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|17}}
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{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|269}}
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
{{Basic Grammar|一边|A2|一边 + Verb 1, 一边 + Verb 2|不要 <em>一边</em> 说话,<em>一边</em> 吃 东西。|grammar point|ASG2ZC5S}}
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{{Basic Grammar|一边|A2|一边 + Verb 1 (,) 一边 + Verb 2|不要 <em>一边</em> 说话 ,<em>一边</em> 吃 东西。|grammar point|ASG2ZC5S}}
 
{{Rel char|边}}
 
{{Rel char|边}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing simultaneous actions with "yimian"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing simultaneous actions with "yimian"}}
{{Similar|"Along with…" using "suizhe"}}
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{{Similar|Aspect particle "zhe"}}
{{Similar|At the time when}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "when" with "de shihou"}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to simultaneous events}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to simultaneous events}}
 
{{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
 
{{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}

Latest revision as of 08:20, 4 March 2019

Multitasking is everywhere in the modern world (what else are you doing while you read this?), but you if can focus for just a minute, you can learn a way to express simultaneous tasks in Chinese! This can be done with 一边 (yībiān).

Structure

To express that one thing is done while doing something else, the word 一边 (yībiān) is used.

Subj. + 一边 + Verb (,) + 一边 + Verb

Note that you sometimes see 一边 (yībiān) shortened to 边 (biān) as well, which has a less formal feel.

Examples

  • 不要 一边 吃 东西,一边 说话 。Bùyào yībiān chī dōngxi, yībiān shuōhuà.Don't speak while eating.
  • 我 常常 一边 洗澡, 一边 唱歌 。Wǒ chángcháng yībiān xǐzǎo, yībiān chànggē.I often sing songs while I take a shower.
  • 孩子 喜欢 一边 吃饭, 一边 玩 。Háizi xǐhuan yībiān chīfàn, yībiān wán.Children like to play while eating.
  • 你 喜欢 一边 听 音乐, 一边 做 作业 吗 ?Nǐ xǐhuan yībiān tīng yīnyuè, yībiān zuò zuòyè ma? Do you like to listen to music while doing homework?
  • 我们 一边一边 聊 吧 。Wǒmen yībiān zǒu yībiān liáo ba.Let's walk while we talk.
  • 请 你 一边一边 写 。Qǐng nǐ yībiānyībiān xiě.Please write as you read.
  • 不要 一边 开车, 一边 打电话 。Bùyào yībiān kāichē, yībiān dǎ diànhuà.Don't talk on the phone while you drive.
  • 老板 喜欢 一边 抽烟,一边 工作 。Lǎobǎn xǐhuan yībiān chōuyān, yībiān gōngzuò.The boss likes to smoke while working.
  • 很多 人 都 一边 上班, 一边 玩 手机 。Hěn duō rén dōu yībiān shàngbān, yībiān wán shǒujī.Many people play with their cell phones while working.
  • 她 常常 一边 做饭,一边 带 孩子 。Tā chángcháng yībiān zuòfàn, yībiān dài háizi.She often looks after the baby while cooking food.

You'll notice that the order of the two actions is sometimes different in the original Chinese and the English translations above. This is because the "main" action usually comes second in English (after the "while"), but first in Chinese. For example, "take a shower while singing" sounds strange in English, but "sing while taking a shower" doesn't.

Note that you must be actively doing both actions. That is, they have to be intentional. If you want to say something happened while another thing was happening, it would be better to use 的时候 (de shíhou).

See also

Sources and further reading

Books