A

A-not-A Questions

Answering Questions in Chinese

按照, anzhao, (Prep), in accordance with

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B

吧, ba, (Ptc), Making Suggestions

把, b?, (Ptc), To Dispose of Something (1)

把, b?, (Ptc), Moving an Object to a Location (2)

把, b?, (Ptc), with V1V2V3 (3)

把, b?, (Ptc), V (一) V, Disposal with Verb Reduplication (4)

把, b?, (Ptc), with Resultative Complements (5)

把, b?, (Ptc), Unintentional Event (6)

把 A 當做 B, (b? A dangzuo B), to treat or take A as B (7)

白, bai, (Adv), in vain, all for nothing

幫, b?ng, (Prep), on behalf of

被, bei, (Ptc), A Passive Marker (See 受 shou entry also)

比, b?, (Prep), Comparison (1)

比, b?, (Prep), Intensifying a State with 一 M 比 一 M, more and more X, more X than the last (2)

比較, b?jiao, (Adv), Implicit Comparison (3)

比起來, b?q?lai, Comparison (4)

畢竟, bijing, (Adv), after all, to Urge Concession

別的, biede, other

別再?了,bie zai…le, stop doing it

並, bing, (Adv), 並 + Negation, Contrary to Expectation

不, bu, vs. 沒, mei, Negation (1)

不, bu, Negative Potential Complement (2)

-部-bu, or -邊-bi?n, Locative Markers

不但 A，還 B, (budan (Conj) A, hai (Adv) B), not only A, but also B

不但 A，而且 B, (budan (Conj) A, erqi? (Conj) B), not only A but also B

不到, budao, less than

不得不, budebu, have no choice but to…

不管 A 都 B, (bugu?n (Conj) A d?u (Adv) B), regardless of whether or not

不見得, bujiande, (Adv), not necessarily

不禁, buj?n, (Adv), uncontrollably, cannot help but…

不如, buru, (Vst), not as good as

不是, bushi, Negation

不是 A 就是 B, (bu shi A jiu shi B), if it’s not A, then it’s B

不是 A，而是 B, (bu shi A, er shi B), not A ; rather B

不說, bushu? , in S1 不說，S2 也y?, not merely, but also (complaining)

不太, butai, not very

不停, bu ting, as in Verb + 個不停, keep on

不再?了, (bu zai…le), not…any more

不只, buzh?, (Adv), not merely, exceeding

不至於, buzhiyu, (Adv), but the situation would not be so bad as to…

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C

才, cai, (Adv), merely, only (1)

才, cai, (Adv), longer/later than expected (2)

才, cai, (Adv), then and only then (3)

才, cai, (Adv), to outrightly deny (4)

才 A 就 B, (cai A jiu B), only just A, and B already (5)

曾經, cengj?ng, (Adv), experience in the past, V’ed before

差不多, chabudu?, (Vs, Adv), In Various Functions

差一點（就）, chay?di?n (jiu), (Adv), almost

趁, chen, (Prep), seize the moment

成, cheng, (Ptc), as Verb Complement, to become, to turn into (1)

成, cheng, (Ptc), As a verb complement, successful(ly) (2)

成語, chengy?, 四字格, Four-Character Phrases

出, ch?, (Ptc), Verb Particle, to have emerged

出來, ch?lai, as Verb Complement, to figure out

除了 A，還 B, (chule (Prep) A , hai (Adv) B), in addition to

Complement of Intensification in Comparison Structures (1)

Complements, 極了jile, 得不得了de budeli?o, 得很de h?n, terribly, extremely (2)

從 A 到 B, (cong (Prep) A dao (Prep) B), from A to B

從 A 往 B, (cong (Prep) A w?ng (Prep) B), go A from B

從?起, (cong (Prep)…q? (Ptc)), starting from…

從來, conglai, (Adv), 從來 + Negation, never

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D

當?的時候, (d?ng…de shihou), when, while, at the time of

到, dao, (Prep), Destination Marker (1)

到, dao, (Prep), Destination Marker for Movement Verbs (2)

到, dao, (Prep), Post-verbal Preposition, up to, till (3)

到, dao, (Ptc), as Verb Complement, to be successful in… (4)

到底, daod?, (Adv), after all? how on earth…?

倒是, daoshi, (Adv), on the other hand

得, de, (Ptc), Complement Marker (1)

得, de, (Ptc), Complement Marker, used in comparing the results of actions (2)

得, de, (Ptc), Complement Marker, so…that… (3)

得, de, (Ptc), Positive Potential Complement Marker (4) (See 不(2))

的, de, (Ptc), Possessive Marker (1)

的, de, (Ptc), Modifier Marker (2)

的, de, (Ptc), with the Head Noun Omitted (3)

的, de, (Ptc), to Mark Assurance, co-occuring often with會hui (Vaux) (4)

的話, de hua, if, supposing

的時候, de shihou, when, at the time of

等, d?ng, (Ptc), enumeration particle, etc…

等 A 就 B,(d?ng A jiu B), when A comes, then B

的確, dique, (Adv), indeed

掉, diao, (Ptc), Verb Particle, separated from

Directional Constructions V1V2 and V1V2V3

Disposal Construction (See 把b?,1-7)

懂, d?ng, (Vs, Vp), Complement Indicating Cognitive Ability as a Result

動, dong, (Vp), used as a verb complement, capable of causing movement

動不動就, dongbudong jiu, whenever one pleases to do something impetuously

都, d?u, (Adv), totality, all (1)

都, d?u, (Adv), expressing displeasure, annoyance or surprise (2)

對, dui , (Prep), towards

對 A 有B, (dui (Prep) A y?u (Vs) B), to be B in A

對?來說, (dui (Prep)…lai shu?), as far as...is concerned, for

對?講究, (dui (Prep) …ji?ngjiu (Vst)), to be discerning, discriminating, particular about

對於, duiyu, (Prep, Ptc), towards, regarding (1)

對於?而言, (duiyu (Prep)…er yan), as far as… is concerned (2)

多, du?, (Vs), more than, over, and some (1)

多, du?, (Adv), as in 多+Verb, more… than planned (2)

多, du?, (Adv), intensifying, how…! (3)

多少, du?sh?o, (Adv), likely, at least

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E

而且, erqi?, (Conj), furthermore

Existential Sentence with Posture Verbs (1)

Existential Sentence with有y?u (2)

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F

反而, f?n’er, (Adv), on the contrary

反正, f?nzheng, (Adv), at any rate, anyway

方面, f?ngmian, (N), as in 在?方面, with respect to; regarding

非?不可, (f?i…buk?), it is imperative that

否則, f?uze, (Conj), otherwise

Four-Character Phrases (See 成語chengy?,)

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G

V 個夠, V ge gou, to have a full dosage of an activity

各 V 各的, (ge V ge de), each doing her/his own…

給, g?i, (Prep), Various Meanings (1)

給, g?i, (Prep), Indirect Object Marker (2)

給?帶來, (g?i (Prep)…dailai), to bring…to (3)

跟, g?n, (Prep), Companionship (1)

跟, g?n, (Prep), Various Meanings of the Preposition (2)

跟?一樣, (g?n (Prep)…yiyang), Comparison

跟 B 有關的 A, (g?n (Prep) B y?ugu?n de A), A that relates to B, A that concern B

根本, g?nb?n, (Adv), not…at all, absolutely not

更, geng, (Adv), Intensification in Comparison, even more so

更別說 B 了, (geng bie shu? B le), let alone, never mind

慣, guan, (Ptc), indicating ‘getting used to a routine’

光 A 就 B, (gu?ng (Adv) A jiu (Adv) B), just A alone…

關於, gu?nyu, (Vs, Ptc), about, regarding

過, guo, (Ptc), Experience Aspect (1)

過, guo, (Ptc), Phase Aspect Marker, Completion of Action (2)

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H

還, hai, (Adv), still (unchanged, incomplete) (1)

還, hai, (Adv), to my surprise (2)

還是 A 吧, (haishi (Adv) A ba (Ptc)), it will be better if A, it would be best if A

好, h?o, as in 好+Verb, nice to, easy to (1)

好, h?o, (Ptc), as Verb Complement, all set and ready (2)

好不容易, h?obu rongyi , (idiom), only after a tremendous amount of...

何必, hebi, (Adv), why must

何況, hekuang, (Adv), let alone, no need to mention

很, h?n, (Adv), Intensification Marker

恨不得, henbude, one really wishes one could…

後來, houlai, (Adv), next in sequence

會, hui, (Vaux), aquired skills, can, able to (1)

會, hui, (Vaux), likelihood (2)

會, hui, (Vaux), as Verb Complement (3)

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J

既 A 又 B, (ji (Adv) A you (Adv) B), not only A, but also B

既然 A 就 B, (jiran (Conj) A jiu (Adv) B), Concession, since A then B

見, jian, (Ptc), as Verb Complement, perceived

漸漸, jianjian, (Adv), gradually, slowly

簡直, ji?nzhi, (Adv), to put it simply and plainly, it seems as if

叫, jiao, (V), Imperative Verb

結果, jiegu?, (Adv), consequently, (Conj), in the end

幾乎, j?h?, (Adv), almost

經過, j?ngguo, (Prep), after

竟然, jingran, (Adv), to the speaker’s great surprise, unbelievably

就, jiu, (Adv), sooner than expected (1)

就, jiu, (Adv), in V了A 就 B ,(V le A jiu B), do B right after doing A (2)

就, jiu, (Adv), on the contrary (3)

就算 S1，也 S2, (jiusuan S1, y? S2), even if S1, would S2, no matter how

就要?了, (jiu yao… le), will soon

究竟, jiujing, (Adv), I wonder

居然, j?ran, (Adv), to one’s surprise

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K

看, kan, (V), as in V V 看, to try and see, to try out (1)

看, kan, (V), depend on (2)

靠, kao, (V / Prep), to rely on, by means of

可, k?, (Adv), but on the other hand, stating a mild warning

可見, k?jian, (Conj), it can thus be concluded that…

可以, k?y?, (Vaux), Permission (1)

可以, k?y?, (Vaux), Possibility (2)

恐怕, k?ngpa, (Adv), probably, I’m afraid that

快一點, kuai yidi?n, hurry up

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L

來, lai, (V), as in 來 + VP, to come to do something (1)

來, lai, as a verb complement, to get along well, to be able to relate to each other well (2)

了1, le, (Ptc), Completed Action (1)

了1 , le, (Ptc), Followed by Time-Duration (2)

了2, le, (Ptc), Change in Situation (3)

了2 , (Ptc), in 快?了, kuai…le, about to (4)

了1?了2, (le (Ptc)… le (Ptc)), Completion-to-date (5)

離, li, (Prep), distance from

離合詞, liheci, Separable Verbs

連 A 都 B, (lian (Prep) A d?u (Adv) B), even

了, li?o, (Ptc), as Verb Complement, capability

另外的, lingwai de, another (See 別的biede)

亂, luan, (Adv), as in 亂＋Verb, to do somethng in an irresponsible manner risking undersirable consequences

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M

嗎, ma, (Ptc), Asking Questions (1)

嗎, ma, (Ptc), Confrontational (2)

嘛, ma, (Ptc), isn’t it obvious that

滿, m?n, (Vs), as Verb Complement, crowded with (1)

滿, m?n, (Vpt), to reach a ceiling (2)

Measures, (nominal), Units for Counting Nouns in Chinese (1)

Measures, (verbal), 下 xia, 趟 tang, 遍bian, and 次ci (2)

Measure 一M一M as Manner, one at a time

沒有, mei y?u, as used in Inferior Comparison

每, m?i, (Det), each and every (1)

每, m?i, (Det), as in 每+Time Expression, Frequency (2)

免得, mi?nde, (Adv), lest, so as to avoid

明明, mingming, (Adv), it should be obvious to everyone that…

Multiple Verb Phrases

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N

拿?來說, (na (Prep)…lai shu?), take…as an example

哪裡, n?l?, (Adv), rhetorical question

難, nan, as in 難 + Verb, Special Meanings (See 好 (1))

難道, nandao, (Adv), how could it possibly be true

難得, nande, (Adv), rarely

難怪, nanguai, (Adv), no wonder

難免, nanmi?n, (Adv), inevitably, it is only natural that

難以, nany?, (Vaux), to find it difficult to…

呢, ne, (Ptc), Contrastive tag Questions

能1, neng, (Vaux), Capability (1)

能2, neng, (Vaux), Permission (2)

能3, neng, (Vaux), Possibility (3)

寧可 A 也要 B, (ningk? (Adv) A, y? (Adv) yao (Vaux) B), would rather A , in order to B

弄, nong, (V), General Pro-Verb (1)

弄, nong, (V), General Causative Verb (2)

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O

Omission of Nouns at 2nd Mention

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P

偏偏, pi?npi?n, (Adv), contrary to expectation, deliberately, annoyingly

Pronouns Interrogative to Refer to All-inclusion or All-exclusion (1)

Pronouns Interrogative in Non-committal Stance (2)

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Q

起, q?, (Ptc), as Verb Complement, to be able to afford (1)

起, q?, (Ptc), as Verb Particle, to touch upon (2)

起來, q?lai, as Verb Complement, assessment of situations (1)

起來, q?lai, as Verb Complement in 想起來xi?ngq?lai, to have remembered (2)

起來, q?lai, as Verb Complement, with inchoative meaning (3)

其他的, qit? de, the others (See 別的biede)

去, qu, (Vi), as in 去+VP, to go do something

卻, que, (Adv), however

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R

讓, rang, (V), to let someone do something

然後, ranhou, (Adv), next in sequence (See 後來houlai)

Reduplication of Verbs, to indicate softened action (1).

Reduplication of State Verbs for Intensification (2)

Reduplication of Disyllabic State Verbs (3)

Reduplication of Disyllabic Verbs for Tentative Action (4)

Reduplication of Verbs in V了V (5)

Relatve Clause A 的 B, Clause as Modifier of Noun

仍然, rengran, (Adv), still the same, same as before

Repetition of Verbs, as in V 來 V 去, (V lai V qu) , repetitively, back and forth

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S

Separable Verbs (See 離合詞liheci,)

似乎, sih?, (Adv), it seems that, it gives somebody the impression that

所, su?, (Ptc), Verb Marker

上, shang, (V), Various Meanings of the Verb (1)

上, shang, (Ptc), as Verb Complement, coming into contact (2)

上, shang, (Ptc), as in 在 NP 上, regarding NP (3)

少, sh?o, (Adv), as in 少+Verb, less… than planned (See 多(2))

誰知道, shei zh?dao, who would have thought that…?

什麼都?，就是?, (shenme d?u…, jiushi…), everything but…

甚至, shenzhi, (Adv), even

是, shi, (Ptc), it is indeed true that

是?的, shi…de, to Focus, it was A that B

是不是, shibushi, is it the case that…?

使得, sh?de, (Vst), expressing causation, so as to make

受, shou, (Vst), a Passive Marker (see also 被bei entry)

受到?影響, (shoudao…y?ngxi?ng), to be influenced by, affected by

說, shu?, (V), speak, vs. 談, tan, (V), talk

說到, shu?dao, talking of

說 A 就 A, (shu? A jiu A), happening instantly without prior warning

死了, s?le, A Post-Verbal Intensifier, terribly

四字格, sizige, Four-Character Phrases (See 成語chengy?)

算了, suanle, forget it, drop it

算是, suanshi, (V), can be considered…

隨著S1，S2 也, (suizhe (Prep) S1, S2 y? (Adv)), as a consequence of

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T

太?了, tai (Adv)…le, overly, excessively

談, tan, (V), talk, vs. 說, shu?, (V), speak (See 說shu?)

談到, tandao, talking of (See 說到shu?dao)

Time and Place of Events (1)

Time-When vs. Time-Duration (2)

Time-Duration ‘for a period of time’ (3)

Topic in Sentence (1)

Topic as Contrastive (2)

透過, touguo, (Prep), by means of

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W

完, wan, (Ptc), as Verb Complement, completion of action

萬一, wany?, (Adv), supposing, in the event of something negative

往往, w?ngw?ng, (Adv), usually, tend to

為, wei, (Prep), Beneficiary Marker, beneficiary of an action

為了, weile, (Prep), in order to

無論 A 都 B, (wulun (Conj) A d?u (Adv) B), regardless of what…

無所謂, wusu?wei, (Vs), does not matter

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X

下, xia, (Ptc), as Verb Complement, enough space to accommodate

下來, xialai, a summary of the various meanings of the verb complement下來

下去, xiaqu, as Verb Complement, to keep on doing something

先 A 再 B, (xi?n (Adv) A zai (Adv) B), first A, and then B

向, xiang, (Prep), to, toward

A 像 B 一樣, (A xiang B yiyang), A is just like B

像…的+ Noun, (xiang…de + Noun), such (nouns) as

幸虧, xingku?, (Adv), fortunately

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Y

要是 A 就 B, (yaoshi A jiu B), Condition and Consequence

以, y?, (Prep), classical Chinese, indicating instrument

以後, y?hou, (N), in the future, after (Also see 後來houlai)

以及, y?ji, (Conj), as well as

以內, y?nei, within

一A 就 B, (yi A jiu B), as soon as

一般來說, yib?n laishu?, generally speaking

一邊 A 一邊 B, (yibi?n A yibi?n B), connecting two simultaneous events, doing A and B at the same time

一點, yidi?n, (N), a bit, a little

一點也不 V, (yidi?n y? bu V), emphatic negation

一方面 A，一方面 B, (yi f?ngmian A, yi f?ngmian B), doing A on the one hand, B on the other

一口氣, yik?uqi, in one breath, without interruption

一來 A，二來 B, (yilai A, erlai B), on the one hand A, and on the other B; firstly A, secondly B

一連, yilian, (Adv), without interruption, in rapid succession

一下 A，一下 B, (yixia A, yixia B), referring to alternating events

一向, yixiang, (Adv), all along, has always…

以為, y?wei, (Vst), to have wrongly thought that …

因為 A，所以 B, (y?nwei (Conj) A, su?y? (Conj) B), to express cause and effect

因為 A 才 B, (y?nwei (Conj) A cai (Adv) B), only because A, B…; B is true, only since A is like this

因為 NP，S…, (y?nwei (Prep) NP, S…), because of NP, S…

因為 A 而 B, (y?nwei (Conj) A er (Adv) B), therefore, consequently

由, you, (Prep), Introducing an Agent, an Actor

尤其是, youqi shi, especially

有, y?u, (Vst), to possess, to have, to own (1)

有, y?u, (Vs), in Existential Sentence, there’s… (2) (See Existential Sentence with 有)

有, y?u, (Vs), to mark the existence of a subject, there’s someone, there’s something… (3)

有時候 A, 有時候 B, (y?u shihou A, y?u shihou B), sometimes A, and sometimes B

有一點, y?u yidi?n, slightly

有助於, y?u zhu yu, be conducive to

又A又B, (you (Adv) A you (Adv) B), both A and B

與其 A，不如 B, (y?qi (Conj) A, buru (Conj) B), would rather B than A

於是, yushi, (Conj), thus, consequently, thereupon

越 A 越 B, (yue (Adv) A yue (Adv) B), the more A, the more B

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Z

在, zai, (Prep), Locative Marker, at, located at, situated at (1)

在, zai, (Prep), Marking the Location of an Activity (2)

在, zai, (Vs), Progressive, On-going Actions, at Ving, is in the middle of V+ing (3)

在, zai, as Verb Complement, Resultant Location (4)

在?方面, (zai...f?ngmian), with respect to; regarding (See 方面f?ngmian)

在?下, (zai…xia), under the…, due to the…

再 A 也 B, (zai A y? B), no matter how A, still B

再不 A 就 B 了, (zai bu A jiu B le),urgent conditional, if A doesn’t happen now, B is sure to follow

再加上, zai ji?shang, furthermore

再說, zaishu?, (Conj), besides, moreover

早就?了, (z?o jiu…le), long since…

怎麼, z?nme, (Adv), asking how, asking about a manner of doing things, how, in what way

怎麼這麼, z?nme zheme, why so…?

占, zhan, (Vst), to constitute

照, zhao, (Adv), deliberately, persist in

這麼說, zheme shu?, that being the case, in that case

這下子, zhexiazi, that being the case, as a consequence

這樣一來, zheyang yilai, that being the case, that way

著, zhe, (Ptc), ongoing, continuative action, in the state of V+ing (1)

著, zhe, (Ptc), used in Manner of an Action (2)

著, zhe, (Ptc), repeated, as in V 著 V 著，就?了, (V zhe V zhe, jiu…le), while doing A, B happens (3)

V 著玩, V zhe wan, do something just for fun

只不過?(而已), (zh? buguo…(ery?)), merely…; nothing more than…

只好, zh?h?o, (Adv), concession, could only, have no choice but to

只要 A，就 B, (zh?yao (Conj) A, jiu (Adv) B), B is true, as long as A is true.

只有 A，才 B, (zh?y?u A, cai B), cannot B, unless A

至於, zhiyu, (Ptc), introducing a new topic, as to, as far as… is concerned

中, zh?ng, a summary of the various meanings

自, zi, (Prep), from (formal)

自從?以後, (zicong (Prep)…y?hou (N)), ever since...

總是, z?ngshi, (Adv), always, in all cases, without exception

總算, z?ngsuan, (Adv), finally

走, z?u, (Ptc), as a Verb Particle, away

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索引

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