Ongoing Particle - 著/着 zhe

Table of Contents

Grammar Point:
The particle 著着 zhe is used to indicate ongoing actions or a continuous state in Mandarin Chinese. While it’s common in narratives or storytelling, it’s not something you’ll hear often in everyday conversations. In daily life, people usually use 在 zài to talk about actions in progress.

When do we use it?

How would you describe these 2 pictures?

If your answer is 貓在坐猫在坐 māozàizuò, then you’ve come to the right article! 貓在坐猫在坐 māozàizuò actually refers to the picture beside.

So if you want to describe a current statement that the action won’t just happen and stop right away, you should use 著着 zhe.

Picture A
貓māo坐zuò著zhe猫māo坐zuò着zhe
The cat is sitting.

Picture B
貓māo站zhàn著zhe猫māo站zhàn着zhe
The cat is standing.

Structure – Verb + 著着 zhe

Indicate the continuation of an action or state

貓māo在zài冰箱bīngxiāng上shàng睡shuì著zhe猫māo在zài冰箱bīngxiāng上shàng睡shuì着zhe
Cat sleeping on the fridge.
(Being “sleep” is not an action, it’s a statement, so don’t use 在 zài)

門mén開kāi著zhe门mén开kāi着zhe
The door is open.
(Being “open” is not an action, so don’t use 在 zài)

那個nàge看kàn著zhe書shū的de女孩nǚhái是shì我的wǒde女兒nǚér那个nàge看kàn着zhe书shū的de女孩nǚhái是shì我的wǒde女儿nǚér
The girl reading the book is my daughter.
(It’s ok to use 在 zài in this sentence)

Sometime 著着 zhe and 在 zài are not interchangeable. For example,

他tā在zài穿chuān衣服yìfú他tā在zài穿chuān衣服yìfu
He is putting on clothes.

他tā穿chuān著zhe衣服yìfú他tā穿chuān着zhe衣服yìfu
He is wearing clothes.

But sometimes it is interchangeable with 在 zài, when the action is a long process.

外面wàimiàn在zài下雨xiàyǔ外面wàimiàn在zài下雨xiàyǔ
It’s raining outside.

外面wàimiàn下xià著zhe雨yǔ外面wàimiàn下xià着zhe雨yǔ
It’s raining outside.

爺爺yéye在zài看kàn電視diànshì爷爷yéye在zài看kàn电视diànshì
Grandpa is watching TV.

爺爺yéye看kàn著zhe電視diànshì爷爷yéye看kàn着zhe电视diànshì
Grandpa is watching TV.

Express a Command

你nǐ等děng著zhe，我wǒ很hěn快kuài回來huílái你nǐ等děng着zhe，我wǒ很hěn快kuài回来huílái
Wait, I’ll be back soon.

聽tīng著zhe，我wǒ現在xiànzài要yào說shuō的de話huà很hěn重要zhòngyào听tīng着zhe，我wǒ现在xiànzài要yào说shuō的de话huà很hěn重要zhòngyào
Listen, what I’m about to say is important.

好好hǎohǎo看kàn著zhe，這zhè就是jiùshì我wǒ跟gēn你nǐ的de不同bùtóng好好hǎohǎo看kàn着zhe，这zhè就是jiùshì我wǒ跟gēn你nǐ的de不同bùtóng
Take a good look, that’s the difference between you and me.

Verb₁ + 著着 zhe + Verb₂

It is used to indicate two actions happening at the same time, with the first action being the accompanying state or manner of the second action. In this construction, the second action is considered the main action.

他tā看kàn著zhe電視diànshì講jiǎng電話diànhuà他tā看kàn着zhe电视diànshì讲jiǎng电话diànhuà
He is watching TV while talking on the phone.
(Talking on the phone is more important than watching TV.)

姐姐jiějiě坐zuò著zhe看書kànshū姐姐jiějiě坐zuò着zhe看书kànshū
Sister is sitting and reading a book.
(Reading book is the main verb)

他tā唱chàng著zhe歌gē上shàng廁所cèsuǒ他tā唱chàng着zhe歌gē上shàng厕所cèsuǒ
He is singing a song while pooping.
(Pooping is the main verb)

V + 著着 + V + 著着 + 就 …了

This 了le is 了2. It indicates there is a new action or state while you are doing an activity. Remember these 2 verbs must be the same verb.

姐姐jiějie看kàn著zhe看kàn著zhe就jiù睡shuì了le姐姐jiějie看kàn着zhe看kàn着zhe就jiù睡shuì了le
My sister fell asleep while reading.

他tā說shuō著zhe說shuō著zhe就jiù哭kū了le他tā说shuō着zhe说shuō着zhe就jiù哭kū了le
He starts to cry while talking.

S + 是 + V + 著着 + 玩的

It means the action of a verb is just for fun and doesn’t need to be serious.

我wǒ是shì說shuō著zhe玩wán的de，我wǒ怎麼zěnme可能kěnéng真的zhēnde生shēng10 個ge孩子háizi我wǒ是shì说shuō着zhe玩wán的de，我wǒ怎么zěnme可能kěnéng真的zhēnde生shēng10 个ge孩子háizi
I was joking! how could I really have 10 children.

中文zhōngwén我wǒ不是búshì學xué著zhe玩wán的de，我wǒ是shì真的zhēnde準備zhǔnbèi要yào去qù中國Zhōngguó中文zhōngwén我wǒ不是búshì学xué着zhe玩wán的de，我wǒ是shì真的zhēnde准备zhǔnbèi要yào去qù中国Zhōngguó
I am not learning Chinese for fun, I am really preparing to go to China.