补语
grammatical structure
All Complements
Complements (补语 bǔyǔ) are placed after a verb or an adjective to provide additional information about the result, direction, possibility, or degree of an action. Here are all the essential patterns from Basics to HSK 7-9.
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BasicsComplements 101Introduction to Chinese Complements (补语 bǔyǔ)
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HSK 1Quantitative Complement 1Verb + Action Measure Complement
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HSK 2Result Complement 1Verb + 错 cuò / 懂 dǒng / 好 hǎo / 会 huì / 完 wán
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HSK 2Direction Complement 1(1) Verb + 来 lái / 去 qù
(2) Verb + 上 shàng / 下 xià / 进 jìn / 出 chū / 过 guò / 回 huí -
HSK 2Compound Direction ComplementVerb + 出来 chūlái / 出去 chūqù / 过来 guòlái / 过去 guòqù / 回来 huílái / 回去 huíqù / 进来 jìnlái / 进去 jìnqù / 起来 qǐlái / 上来 shànglái / 上去 shàngqù / 下来 xiàlái / 下去 xiàqù
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HSK 2State Complement 1Verb + 得 de + Adjective Phrase
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HSK 2Quantitative Complement 2(1) Indicates duration of an action
(2) Adjective + Quantitative Complement -
HSK 3Result Complement 2Verb + 到 dào / 住 zhù / 走 zǒu / 上 shàng
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HSK 3Direction Complement 2(1) Indicates result: Verb + 出 chū / 起 qǐ / 下 xià
(2) Indicates start of action: Verb + 上 shàng / 起来 qǐlái
(3) Indicates continuation of action: Verb + 下去 xiàqù / 下来 xiàlái -
HSK 3Potential Complement 1Verb + 得 de / 不 bù + Verb / Adjective
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HSK 3Degree Complement 1(1) Adjective + 得很 dehěn
(2) Adjective / Verb + 极了 jíle / 坏了 huàile -
HSK 3Quantitative Complement 3Indicates the time interval between the end of an action and a certain point in time
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HSK 4Degree Complement 2Adjective / Psychological Verb + 死了 sǐle / 厉害 lìhài
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HSK 4Potential Complement 2Verb + 得 de / 不 bù + 了 liǎo / 下 xià / 起 qǐ
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HSK 5Potential Complement 3Verb + 得 de / 不 bù + 得 dé/动 dòng
想 xiǎng + 得/不 + 起来 qǐlái -
HSK 5Degree Complement 3Adjective / Psychological Verb + 得 de + 不得了 bùdéliǎo
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HSK 5Direction Complement 3Indicates state: Verb / Adjective + 下来 xiàlái / 下去 xiàqù / 起来 qǐlái / 过来 guòlái / 过去 guòqù
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HSK 6Degree Complement 4Verb / Adjective + 透 tòu + 了 le
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HSK 7-9Direction Complement Extension 1Verb + 上 shàng — 7 extended meanings
Verb + 过 guò — crossing a point -
HSK 7-9Direction Complement Extension 2Verb + 下 xià — capacity; take off
Verb + 起 qǐ — remember
Verb + 起来 qǐlái — gather; lock in
Sense verb + 起来 qǐlái vs + 出来 chūlái — “seems” vs “can tell”