Result Complement 2

Grammar Point:
The result complement is called 結果補語结果补语 jiéguǒ bǔyǔ in Chinese. It is just like its name, used to describe the result of a verb.

If you are not familiar with the result complement, I suggest you read the following article first.

• Result complement 1 (HSK 2)

RC in this article we are going to learn:

Verb (action)	+	Result complement	=	Explanation
買买 mǎi (buy)	+	到 dào (achieved its purpose)	=	買买到 mǎidào (successfully bought it)
接 jiē (catch)	+	住 zhù (firmness, steadiness, stop)	=	接住 jiēzhù (to caught it)
取 qǔ (pick, take)	+	走 zǒu (away)	=	取走 qǔzǒu (took away)
聽听 tīng (listen) 看 kàn (look, watch, read)	+	見见 jiàn (only use with 聽听 and 看)	=	聽見听见 tīngjiàn (to hear) 看見见 kàn jiàn (to see)
打 dǎ (hit)	+	破 pò (broken, damaged, destroyed)	=	打破 dǎpò (to break something)
關关 guān (close)	+	上 shàngshang (attainment of an objective)	=	關关上 guānshàng (to close something)
睡 shuì (sleep)	+	著着 zháo (hit the mark; succeed in)	=	睡著着 shuìzháo (fall alseep)

Structure

S + V + RC + O

他tā終於zhōngyú買mǎi到dào火車huǒchē票piào了le他tā终于zhōngyú买mǎi到dào火车huǒchē票piào了le
He finally got the train ticket.

我wǒ吃chī到dào了le我wǒ一直yìzhí想xiǎng吃chī的de牛肉麵niúròumiàn我wǒ吃chī到dào了le我wǒ一直yìzhí想xiǎng吃chī的de牛肉面niúròumiàn
I had the beef noodles I’ve always wanted to eat.

我wǒ被bèi你的nǐde樣子yàngzi給gěi迷mí住zhù了le我wǒ被bèi你的nǐde样子yángzi给gěi迷mí住zhù了le
I am mesmerized by the way you look. (Be attracted and stop in that moment)

我wǒ被bèi你的nǐde樣子yàngzi給gěi嚇xià走zǒu了le我wǒ被bèi你的nǐde样子yángzi给gěi吓xià走zǒu了le
I was scared away by your look. (get scared and run away)

那nà本běn書shū他tā取qǔ走zǒu了le嗎ma？ 那nà本běn书shū他tā取qǔ走zǒu了le吗ma？
Did he take the book?

離開líkāi前qián記得jìdé把bǎ門mén關guān上shàng离开líkāi前qián记得jìdé把bǎ门mén关guān上shang
Remember to close the door before you leave.

你nǐ要yào的de包bāo， 我wǒ在zài義大利yìdàlì買mǎi著zháo了le你nǐ要yào的de包bāo， 我wǒ在zài义大利yìdàlì买mǎi着zháo了le
The bag you want, I bought it in Italy.

他tā打dǎ破pò了le鄰居línjū的de窗戶chuānghù他tā打dǎ破pò了le邻居línjū的de窗户chuānghu
He broke the neighbor’s window.

我wǒ好像hǎoxiàng聽tīng見jiàn老師lǎoshī在zài叫jiào我wǒ， 但是dànshì我wǒ決定juédìng當作dāngzuò沒méi聽tīng到dào我wǒ好像hǎoxiàng听tīng见jiàn老师lǎoshī在zài叫jiào我wǒ， 但是dànshì我wǒ决定juédìng当作dāngzuò没méi听tīng到dào
I thought I heard the teacher calling me, but I decided to pretend I didn’t hear him.

Negation

S + 沒/不 + V + RC + O

你nǐ在zài哪nǎ？ 我wǒ沒méi看kàn見jiàn你nǐ你nǐ在zài哪nǎ？ 我wǒ没méi看kàn见jiàn你nǐ
Where are you? I don’t see you.

我wǒ把bǎ球qiú傳chuán給gěi他tā， 可是kěshì他tā沒méi接jiē住zhù我wǒ把bǎ球qiú传chuán给gěi他tā， 可是kěshì他tā没méi接jiē住zhù
I passed the ball to him, but he didn’t catch it.

這zhè花瓶huāpíng很hěn貴guì！ 還好háihǎo你nǐ沒méi摔shuāi破pò这zhè花瓶huāpíng很hěn贵guì！ 还好háihǎo你nǐ没méi摔shuāi破pò
This vase is very expensive! Good thing you didn’t break it!

你nǐ怎麼zěnme沒méi鎖suǒ上shàng門mén就jiù出去chūqù了le？ 你nǐ怎么zěnme没méi锁suǒ上shang门mén就jiù出去chūqù了le？
Why did you leave the door unlocked and go out?

我wǒ沒méi搶qiǎng走zǒu你的nǐde工作gōngzuò， 是shì你nǐ自己zìjǐ做zuò不好bùhǎo被bèi炒chǎo了le我wǒ没méi抢qiǎng走zǒu你的nǐde工作gōngzuò， 是shì你nǐ自己zìjǐ做zuò不好bùhǎo被bèi炒chǎo了le
I didn’t take away your job. You got fired because you couldn’t do it properly yourself.

FYI
This 炒 chǎo comes from the Chinese slang 炒魷魚鱿鱼 chǎo yóuyú, which literally means ‘stir-fried squid.’ However, it’s commonly used to describe someone who has been fired or laid off from their job. The slang originated from the practice of migrant workers in Guangdong or Hong Kong who carried light luggage with them and rolled up their bamboo mats or blankets into a bundle. When they were fired, they would pack up their belongings and leave, making the bundle look like a stir-fried squid. This is a humorous and informal way to describe someone who has lost their job.

著着 zháo and 到 dào

The particles 著着 zháo and 到 dào can sometimes mean similar things, but they are not always interchangeable.

When used with 睡 (shuì, to sleep), only 著着 zháo is correct in positive sentences.

他tā睡shuì著zháo了le他tā睡shuì着zháo了le ✅
He fell asleep.

他tā睡shuì到dào了le他tā睡shuì到dào了le ❌

In negative sentences, both can mean “cannot do something,” but the choice depends on the reason:

• Use 著着 zháo for internal reasons (something inside you).
  我wǒ喝hē太tài多duō茶chá， 所以suǒyǐ現在xiànzài睡不著shuìbùzháo我wǒ喝hē太tài多duō茶chá， 所以suǒyǐ现在xiànzài睡不着shuìbùzháo
  I drank too much tea, so I can’t fall asleep.
  
• Use 到 dào for external reasons (outside conditions).
  昨天zuótiān工作gōngzuò太tài多duō， 我wǒ忙máng了le一yì晚上wǎnshàng， 完全wánquán睡shuì不bú到dào覺jiào昨天zuótiān工作gōngzuò太tài多duō， 我wǒ忙máng了le一yì晚上wǎnshang， 完全wánquán睡shuì不bú到dào觉jiào
  I had too much work yesterday. I was busy all night and couldn’t sleep at all.

Other Examples

那nà本běn書shū被bèi買mǎi走zǒu了le那nà本běn书shū被bèi买mǎi走zǒu了le
The book was bought (away) by someone.

那nà本běn書shū被bèi買mǎi完wán了le那nà本běn书shū被bèi买mǎi完wán了le
That book has been sold out. (bought completely)

那nà本běn書shū我wǒ買mǎi好hǎo了le那nà本běn书shū我wǒ买mǎi好hǎo了le
I have bought that book. (I finish my task)

那nà本běn書shū我wǒ買mǎi錯cuò了le那nà本běn书shū我wǒ买mǎi错cuò了le
I bought the wrong book.

那nà本běn書shū我wǒ買mǎi到dào了le那nà本běn书shū我wǒ买mǎi到dào了le
I got the book (I achieved buying it)

那nà本běn書shū我wǒ沒méi買mǎi著zháo那nà本běn书shū我wǒ没méi买mǎi着zháo
I didn’t successfully buy the book.

• Result Complement 2 Practice