Table of Contents

Grammar Point

一點一点 yìdiǎn in Commands: A Little More…

Add 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn after an adjective to make a request or command sound softer: “speak a little slower,” “drive a bit slower,” “can it be a little cheaper?” It sounds more polite and more reasonable than a bare order.

一 Verb + Adjective + 一點一点

Verb + Adjective + 一点

The verb comes first, then the adjective, then 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn. It means “do it in a slightly more ___ way.”

说shuō慢màn一点yìdiǎn

Speak a little slower.

你nǐ开kāi慢màn一点yìdiǎn

Drive a little slower.

你nǐ的de字zì，写xiě好看hǎokàn一点yìdiǎn

Make your handwriting a bit nicer.

今天jīntiān放假fàngjià，你nǐ睡shuì久jiǔ一点yìdiǎn没关系méi guānxi

It’s a day off today, so it’s fine to sleep in a bit.

我们wǒmen得děi走zǒu快kuài一点yìdiǎn，快kuài迟到chídào了le

We need to walk faster. We’re almost late.

吃chī快kuài一点yìdiǎn，不然bùrán饭fàn就jiù凉liáng了le

Eat a bit faster, or your food will get cold.

你nǐ笑xiào开心kāixīn一点yìdiǎn，毕业bìyè后hòu我们wǒmen还是háishi可以kěyǐ常cháng见面jiànmiàn啊a

Smile a little! We can still see each other a lot after graduation.

What happened to 得?Usually, when an adjective comes after a verb, you need 得 de to describe the action, as in 他说得很慢 tā shuō de hěn màn. In commands, though, 得 de is often left out to keep it short. 说得慢一点 shuō de màn yìdiǎn is also correct, just a bit longer.

二 Adjective + 一點一点

Adjective + 一点

If the action is obvious, you can drop the verb and just say adjective + 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn. This is super common in everyday life.

快kuài一点yìdiǎn！

Hurry up!

小声xiǎoshēng一点yìdiǎn，宝宝bǎobao在zài睡觉shuìjiào

Keep it down a little. The baby’s sleeping.

老板lǎobǎn，可以kěyǐ便宜piányi一点yìdiǎn吗ma？

Boss, could you make it a bit cheaper?

A must-know phrase for bargaining at night markets! 🛍️

过guò马路mǎlù的时候de shíhou小心xiǎoxīn一点yìdiǎn

Be a little careful when you cross the street.

多 · 少 · 早 · 晚With 多 duō, 少 shǎo, 早 zǎo, and 晚 wǎn, the adjective usually goes before the verb:

多duō吃chī一点yìdiǎn Eat a bit more.
明天míngtiān早zǎo一点yìdiǎn来lái Come a bit earlier tomorrow.

Shorter formsIn speech, 一点 yìdiǎn is often shortened to 点 diǎn: 快点！ kuài diǎn. In northern China, you’ll also hear 一点儿 yìdiǎnr.

三 Adj + 一點一点 vs. 有一點有一点 + Adj

Don’t mix this up with 有一點 yǒu yìdiǎn有一点 yǒu yìdiǎn + adjective, which means “a bit too ___” and usually sounds like a complaint. Adjective + 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn is about how you want things to be.

有一點有一点 + Adj · complaint

你nǐ说话shuōhuà有yǒu一点yìdiǎn快kuài

You talk a bit too fast. (This is how it is, and I don’t love it.)

Adj + 一點一点 · request

请qǐng说shuō慢màn一点yìdiǎn

Please speak a little slower. (This is what I want.)

四 Common Mistakes

❌ 說shuō说shuō一點yìdiǎn一点yìdiǎn慢màn

✅ 說shuō说shuō慢màn一點yìdiǎn一点yìdiǎn

一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn goes after the adjective.

❌ 你nǐ開kāi开kāi有yǒu一點yìdiǎn一点yìdiǎn慢màn

✅ 你nǐ開kāi开kāi慢màn一點yìdiǎn一点yìdiǎn

For a request, use adjective + 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn. 有一點 yǒu yìdiǎn有一点 yǒu yìdiǎn + adjective is for complaining.

❌ 請qǐng请qǐng說shuō说shuō很hěn慢màn

✅ 請qǐng请qǐng說shuō说shuō慢màn一點yìdiǎn一点yìdiǎn

In a request, use 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn, not 很 hěn, after the adjective.

五 Practice

Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!

Question 1 of 10

“Please speak a bit louder.”