“Still” in Chinese 1 – 还 Hái

Posted on by tiffany

OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 2
Grammar Point · HSK 2

还 hái — “Still” in Chinese 1

还 hái means “still” or “yet” — it shows that a situation or state continues, or that something hasn’t changed.

還/还 hái still in Chinese grammar

還 hái almost always comes right before the adjective or verb it modifies — and it jumps ahead of other adverbs, including negation.

1 S + 还 hái + Adj

When there are multiple adverbs in a sentence, 还 hái is placed before the others (except 也 yě), including negation.

时间shíjiān还hái早zǎo，你nǐ不要búyào一直yìzhí催cuī
It’s still early, please don’t keep rushing me.
现在xiànzài外面wàimian还hái太tài热rè，我们wǒmen晚wǎn点儿diǎnr再zài出门chūmén吧ba
It’s still too hot outside, let’s go out later.
你的nǐde咖啡kāfēi还hái热rè吗ma？要yào不要búyào我wǒ帮bāng你nǐ加热jiārè？
Is your coffee still hot? Do you want me to heat it up for you?
你nǐ还hái太tài小xiǎo，不bù可以kěyǐ进jìn这zhè家jiā店diàn
You’re still too young, you can’t enter this store.

2 S + 还 hái + V

我wǒ也yě还hái没méi找zhǎo到dào工作gōngzuò
I also haven’t found a job yet.
下午xiàwǔ一yì点diǎn了le，你nǐ还hái不bù吃饭chīfàn吗ma？
It’s already 1:00 p.m., aren’t you going to eat yet?
你nǐ是不是shìbúshì还hái没méi跟gēn你nǐ女朋友nǚpéngyou说shuō「我wǒ爱ài你nǐ」？
Haven’t you still not told your girlfriend “I love you”?
我wǒ还hái想xiǎng再zài睡shuì一会儿yíhuìr
I still want to sleep a little longer.
我wǒ还hái要yào想xiǎng一下yíxià
I still need to think about it for a bit.
💡 FYI

In Chinese culture, saying 我爱你 wǒ ài nǐ (“I love you”) doesn’t always carry the same weight as it does in Western culture — for many young couples it’s closer to an early, casual “I like you” than a deep declaration.

3 还 hái + 在 zài + V — Still Doing Something

我wǒ还hái是shì单身dānshēn
I am still single.
他tā还hái在zài睡觉shuìjiào
He is still sleeping.
他tā还hái在zài练习liànxí钢琴gāngqín
He is still practicing the piano.

4 Common Mistakes

❌
我wǒ不bù还hái累lèi
✅
我wǒ还hái不bú累lèi
还 hái comes before negation, not after — the correct order is 還 hái + 不 bù/沒 méi + Adj/V.

5 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01I’m not tired yet.
我wǒ还hái不bú累lèi
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02I don’t want to go to sleep yet.
我wǒ还hái不bù想xiǎng睡觉shuìjiào
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03I don’t want to face tomorrow yet.
我wǒ还hái不bù想xiǎng面对miànduì明天míngtiān
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04I’m still hungry.
我wǒ还hái很hěn饿è
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05She’s still young.
她tā还hái很hěn年轻niánqīng
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06I still haven’t finished my homework.
我wǒ还hái没méi做zuò完wán功课gōngkè
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07He’s still waiting for you.
他tā还hái在zài等děng你nǐ
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08Grandma is still cooking.
奶奶nǎinai还hái在zài做饭zuòfàn
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Related Grammar

→“Still” in Chinese 2 — 仍然 réngrán(HSK 3) →“Still” in Chinese 3 — 依然 yīrán(HSK 5)

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