Imperatives “to do more” – 一点 yìdiǎn

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, 一點点 yìdiǎn is often used in imperatives to soften the tone of a command, making it sound more polite, less direct, or more reasonable.

Structure

V + Adj + 一點点 yìdiǎn

Usually, when a verb is followed by an adjective in Chinese, “得 de” is used to indicate the degree of the action. However, in imperative sentences, “得 de” is often omitted for simplicity.

說shuō慢màn一點yìdiǎn说shuō慢màn一点yìdiǎn
Speak a little slower.

你nǐ開kāi慢màn一點yìdiǎn你nǐ开kāi慢màn一点yìdiǎn
Drive a little slower.

你nǐ的de字zì， 寫xiě好看hǎokàn一點yìdiǎn你nǐ的de字zì， 写xiě好看hǎokàn一点yìdiǎn
Make your handwriting a bit nicer.

今天jīntiān放假fàngjià， 你nǐ睡shuì久jiǔ一點yìdiǎn沒關係méiguānxī今天jīntiān放假fàngjià， 你nǐ睡shuì久jiǔ一点yìdiǎn没关系méiguānxi
It’s a day off today, so it’s okay to sleep a little longer.

我們wǒmen得děi走zǒu快kuài一點yìdiǎn， 快kuài遲到chídào了le我们wǒmen得děi走zǒu快kuài一点yìdiǎn， 快kuài迟到chídào了le
We need to walk faster; we’re almost late.

吃chī快kuài一點yìdiǎn， 不然bùrán飯fàn就jiù涼liáng了le吃chī快kuài一点yìdiǎn， 不然bùrán饭fàn就jiù凉liáng了le
Eat a little faster, or the food will get cold.

你nǐ笑xiào開心kāixīn一點yìdiǎn， 畢業bìyè後hòu我們wǒmen還是háishì可以kěyǐ常cháng見面jiànmiàn啊a你nǐ笑xiào开心kāixīn一点yìdiǎn， 毕业bìyè后hòu我们wǒmen还是háishì可以kěyǐ常cháng见面jiànmiàn啊a
Smile a bit happier; we can still see each other often after graduation.

•  A little bit – 有一點点 yǒuyìdiǎn & 一點点 yìdiǎn (HSK 3)

• “Not at all” in Chinese – 一點点也不 yìdiǎn yě bù (HSK 3)

• “A bit too” in Chinese – Adj 了點点(儿)diǎndiǎn(r) le diǎndiǎn(r) (HSK 4)