Same structure as before: S + V + Result Complement + (O). This set leans toward verbs of acquiring, perceiving, and stopping — learn what each complement contributes, and you can plug in whichever verb the sentence needs.
1 Seven Complements to Know
| Complement | Meaning | Pairs With |
|---|
| 到到 dào | successfully reach / obtain | 買买 mǎi (buy), 聽听 tīng (listen), 看看 kàn (look), 找找 zhǎo (look for), 想想 xiǎng (think) … |
| 住住 zhù | hold firm, fix in place | 接接 jiē (catch), 抓抓 zhuā (grab), 記记 jì (remember), 停停 tíng (stop) … |
| 走走 zǒu | away | 拿拿 ná (take), 取取 qǔ (fetch), 買买 mǎi (buy), 搶抢 qiǎng (snatch) … |
| 見见 jiàn | perceive, sense | 聽听 tīng (listen), 看看 kàn (look), 遇遇 yù (encounter), 夢梦 mèng (dream) … |
| 破破 pò | broken, damaged | 打打 dǎ (hit), 摔摔 shuāi (drop/smash), 撕撕 sī (tear) … |
| 上上 shàng | closed, secured, onto | 關关 guān (close), 鎖锁 suǒ (lock), 穿穿 chuān (put on), 戴戴 dài (wear) … |
| 著着 zháo | successfully achieve (limited) | 睡睡 shuì (sleep), 點点 diǎn (light/ignite) — see note below |
2 Each Complement in Action
到到 dào successfully obtain
他終於買到火車票了他终于买到火车票了
He finally managed to buy the train ticket.
我終於找到我的鑰匙了我终于找到我的钥匙了
I finally found my keys.
我突然想到一個好辦法我突然想到一个好办法
I suddenly thought of a good solution.
One Verb, Many Complements
Watch what happens when the verb 買买 mǎi (“buy”) takes different complements — the result changes completely each time: 買走买走 (bought and taken away), 買完买完 (sold out), 買好买好 (all set), 買錯买错 (bought the wrong one), 買到买到 (managed to get it). You’ll practice all five below.
住住 zhù hold firm
我把球傳給他，可是他沒接住我把球传给他，可是他没接住
I passed the ball to him, but he didn’t catch it.
他一把抓住了機會他一把抓住了机会
He grabbed the opportunity in one go.
請記住我的電話號碼请记住我的电话号码
Please remember my phone number.
走走 zǒu away
那本書他取走了嗎？那本书他取走了吗？
Did he take that book away?
誰把我的傘拿走了？谁把我的伞拿走了？
Who took my umbrella away?
我沒搶走你的工作，是你自己做不好，被炒了我没抢走你的工作，是你自己做不好，被炒了
I didn’t steal your job — you got fired because you weren’t doing it well.
見见 jiàn perceive
你在哪？我沒看見你你在哪？我没看见你
Where are you? I don’t see you.
我好像聽見老師在叫我，但是我決定當作沒聽到我好像听见老师在叫我，但是我决定当作没听到
I think I heard the teacher calling me, but I decided to pretend I didn’t hear it.
聽見听见 tīngjiàn and 聽到听到 tīngdào are both natural for “hear” — largely interchangeable.
我在路上遇見了我的高中老師我在路上遇见了我的高中老师
I ran into my high school teacher on the street.
破破 pò broken
他打破了鄰居的窗戶他打破了邻居的窗户
He broke the neighbor’s window.
這花瓶很貴！還好你沒摔破这花瓶很贵！还好你没摔破
This vase is expensive! Good thing you didn’t drop and break it.
他不小心撕破了我的作業他不小心撕破了我的作业
He accidentally tore my homework.
上上 shàng closed / secured
離開前記得把門關上离开前记得把门关上
Remember to close the door before you leave.
你怎麼沒鎖上門就出去了？你怎么没锁上门就出去了？
Why did you go out without locking the door?
外面很冷，快穿上外套外面很冷，快穿上外套
It’s cold outside, put your coat on quickly.
著着 zháo successfully achieve
Unlike the other six, 著着 zháo isn’t very productive in modern Taiwan Mandarin — 到到 dào has taken over most of its jobs (買到买到, not 買著买着). But it hasn’t vanished completely — a handful of fixed combinations still hang on.
他睡著了他睡着了
He fell asleep.
我喝太多茶，所以現在睡不著我喝太多茶，所以现在睡不着
I drank too much tea, so now I can’t fall asleep.
Internal reason (my own body won’t let me sleep) → 著着 zháo.
昨天工作太多，我忙了一晚上，完全睡不到覺昨天工作太多，我忙了一晚上，完全睡不到觉
I had too much work yesterday, I was busy all night, and I couldn’t get any sleep at all.
External reason (work kept me up) → 到到 dào.
著着 zháo Beyond 睡著着
點点 diǎn (“to light”) still pairs with 著着 zháo in everyday Taiwan Mandarin — 點得著点得着 / 點不著点不着 for whether something catches fire.
A few other 著着 combinations, like 管得著管得着 guǎndezháo (“have the right to interfere”) and 打得著打得着 dǎdezháo (“able to hit/reach”), are common in Mainland — especially Northern — Mandarin. You’ll rarely hear them in Taiwan, but they’re worth recognizing.
火柴太潮濕了，點不著火火柴太潮湿了，点不着火
The matches are too damp, they won’t light.
這是我自己的事，你管不著！这是我自己的事，你管不着！
This is my own business — it’s none of yours!
Northern Mainland colloquial register; a Taiwan speaker would more likely say 不關你的事不关你的事 bù guān nǐ de shì.
這麼遠，你打得著嗎？这么远，你打得着吗？
It’s so far away — can you hit it?
3 Common Mistakes
Learners often reach for 到到 dào out of habit, since it’s so productive elsewhere — but “falling asleep” only ever takes 著着 zháo.
❌
他睡到了他睡到了
✅
他睡著了他睡着了
到到 dào is for successfully obtaining or reaching something (買到买到 mǎidào, 聽到听到 tīngdào) — not for entering a state like sleep. Only 著着 zháo works here.
4 Practice
Items 1–6 are all the same verb, 買买 mǎi, with a different complement each time — watch the meaning shift. Translate each sentence, then tap the card to check your answer.
01That book was bought (and taken) by someone else.
那本書被買走了那本书被买走了
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02That book is sold out.
那本書被買完了那本书被买完了
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03I already bought that book (all set).
那本書我買好了那本书我买好了
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04I bought the wrong book.
那本書我買錯了那本书我买错了
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05I managed to get that book.
那本書我買到了那本书我买到了
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06I didn’t manage to buy that book.
那本書我沒買到那本书我没买到
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07The car stopped on the road.
車子在路上停住了车子在路上停住了
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08I dreamed about you last night.
我昨晚夢見你了我昨晚梦见你了
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09Please fasten your seatbelt.
請繫上安全帶请系上安全带
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10Did you finally fall asleep?
你後來睡著了嗎？你后来睡着了吗？
👆 Tap to reveal
