Ongoing Actions with zhe - OneDotDot Chinese

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.