白 bái Chinese Grammar

Grammar Point:
The adverb 白 bái doesn’t mean white, but rather it signifies an action “with no effect” or “in vain,” similar to the concept of white having no color. It is typically used to modify an action verb and indicates the meaning of doing an action that ultimately yields no result.

Structure

白 + Verb + 了

白 is often used with one-syllable words such as 做 zuò for “to do,” 說说 shuō for “to speak,” 買买 mǎi for “to buy,” and so on.

我wǒ不知道bùzhīdào這zhè家jiā店diàn禮拜一lǐbàiyī休息xiūxí， 白bái去qù了le我wǒ不知道bùzhīdào这zhè家jiā店diàn礼拜一lǐbàiyī休息xiūxi， 白bái去qù了le
I did not know that this store is closed on Mondays, so I went there for nothing.

老師lǎoshī說shuō明天míngtiān的de考試kǎoshì取消qǔxiāo， 我wǒ昨晚zuówǎn的de書shū都dōu白bái讀dú了le老师lǎoshī说shuō明天míngtiān的de考试kǎoshì取消qǔxiāo， 我wǒ昨晚zuówǎn的de书shū都dōu白bái读dú了le
The teacher said tomorrow’s exam is canceled. All I studied last night are for nothing.

你nǐ如果rúguǒ不bù回來huílái吃chī應該yīnggāi先xiān跟gēn我wǒ說shuō， 現在xiànzài我wǒ這些zhèxiē菜cài都dōu白bái做zuò了le你nǐ如果rúguǒ不bù回来huílái吃chī应该yīnggāi先xiān跟gēn我wǒ说shuō， 现在xiànzài我wǒ这些zhèxiē菜cài都dōu白bái做zuò了le
If you’re not coming back for dinner, you should have told me first. Now I’m doing all these dishes in vain.

三十sānshí歲suì了le還hái不知道bùzhīdào怎麼zěnme洗頭xǐtóu， 你nǐ真的zhēnde是shì白bái活huó了le三十sānshí岁suì了le还hái不知道bùzhīdào怎么zěnme洗头xǐtóu， 你nǐ真的zhēnde是shì白bái活huó了le
You’re already 30 years old and still don’t know how to wash your hair. You’re truly living in vain.

說shuō也yě是shì白bái說shuō， 還hái不如bùrú不bù說shuō说shuō也yě是shì白bái说shuō， 还hái不如bùrú不bù说shuō
Speaking is just pointless; it’s better not to say anything. (Chinese idiom)

白 + SV + 了

聽說tīngshuō會議huìyì臨時línshí取消qǔxiāo了le， 那nà你nǐ這幾天zhèjǐtiān的de準備zhǔnbèi不bù都dōu白bái忙máng了le嗎ma？ 听说tīngshuō会议huìyì临时línshí取消qǔxiāo了le， 那nà你nǐ这几天zhèjītiān的de准备zhǔnbèi不bù都dōu白bái忙máng了le吗ma？
I heard that the meeting was canceled abruptly, so your preparations for the past few days were all in vain, right?

我wǒ收到shōudào公司gōngsī的de信xìn以為yǐwéi要yào幫bāng我wǒ加薪jiāxīn， 所以suǒyǐ我wǒ很hěn高興gāoxìng， 結果jiéguǒ是shì要yào我wǒ加班jiābān， 真zhēn是shì白bái高興gāoxìng了le我wǒ收到shōudào公司gōngsī的de信xìn以为yǐwéi要yào帮bāng我wǒ加薪jiāxīn， 所以suǒyǐ我wǒ很hěn高兴gāoxìng， 结果jiéguǒ是shì要yào我wǒ加班jiābān， 真zhēn是shì白bái高兴gāoxìng了le
I received a letter from the company. I thought they were going to give me a raise, so I was very happy.
It turned out that I was informed to work overtime, so I was really happy for nothing.

白 + 吃/喝/住

These three verbs 吃 chī for “to eat,” 喝 hē for “to drink,” and 住 zhù for “to live” have a special connotation. They often imply someone doing an action without paying for it or getting something for free.

他tā已經yǐjīng半年bànnián沒méi交jiāo房租fángzū了le， 房東fángdōng說shuō不能bùnéng再zài繼續jìxù讓ràng他tā白住báizhù下去xiàqù他tā已经yǐjīng半年bànnián没méi交jiāo房租fángzū了le， 房东fángdōng说shuō不能bùnéng再zài继续jìxù让ràng他tā白住báizhù下去xiàqù
He has not paid rent for six months, and the landlord said he could not continue to let him live for free.

他tā每次měicì來lái派對pàiduì都dōu不帶búdài酒jiǔ也yě不帶búdài食物shíwù， 只zhǐ想xiǎng在zài這zhè白吃báichī白喝báihē他tā每次měicì来lái派对pàiduì都dōu不带búdài酒jiǔ也yě不带búdài食物shíwù， 只zhǐ想xiǎng在zài这zhè白吃báichī白喝báihē
Whenever he comes to a party, he doesn’t bring wine or food. He just wants to eat and drink for free.

FYI
We already know that 白 bái means nothing in Chinese. Let me share with you a popular Chinese internet slang term. 小白 xiǎobái, which translates to “little white,” is commonly used to refer to someone who is inexperienced, naive, or lacks knowledge in a particular area or about a specific topic. It can also describe someone who is new to something and has a lot to learn. This term is often used playfully or lightheartedly. For example, if you want to say “I’m a total newbie,” you can say 我完全是小白 Wǒ wánquán shì xiǎobái.

• Advance usage 白白 báibái (HSK7-9)