Learn a little Chinese every day
Grammar Point:Both 差不多 chābùduōchàbuduō and 幾几乎 jīhū can mean “almost” or “nearly” in English, but they are used differently in Chinese depending on context and sentence structure. Here’s a breakdown of the differences: Differences Feature 幾几乎 jīhū 差不多 chābùduōchàbuduō Meaning Almost, nearly Almost, roughly, about Sentence position Usually comes before a verb or verb phrase Can be an adverb,…
Grammar Point:In casual Chinese, people often shorten 因為为 yīnwèi to 因 yīn and 除了 chúle to 除 chú. These abbreviations are common in speech and writing, especially online or in headlines. 因 yīn – because This is often used in more formal writing, headlines, or brief statements, especially when trying to be concise. 因yīn工作gōngzuò太tài忙máng， 我wǒ沒méi時間shíjiān運動yùndòng因yīn工作gōngzuò太tài忙máng， 我wǒ没méi时间shíjiān运动yùndòngBecause work is too busy, I don’t have time…
Grammar Point:In Chinese, the word 偏 piān is often used to express a meaning similar to “contrary to expectations”, or “just (to do something) even though it’s not reasonable or expected.” It usually shows that someone does something deliberately, stubbornly, or despite objections or difficulties. Structure S + 偏 piān + V It adds emphasis, often implying that someone is going against advice,…
Grammar Point:In Chinese, both 剛刚好 gānghǎo and 恰好 qiàhǎo can mean “just right” or “happened to”, but they aren’t always interchangeable. The key difference lies in their tone, formality, and usage. Structure S + 剛刚好 gānghǎo + Verb Phrase 剛刚好 gānghǎo is more common in everyday conversation. It has a casual and natural tone, similar to saying “just right” or “just happened to” in a…
Grammar Point:彷彿仿佛 fǎngfú is an adverb in Chinese that expresses similarity or resemblance. It’s used to describe something that appears or feels a certain way but may not actually be that way in reality. Structure S + 彷彿仿佛 fǎngfú + something else 彷彿仿佛 fǎngfú is often used when you describe feelings, appearances, or impressions, rather…
Grammar Point:When reading or listening to Chinese, you might notice that sometimes very short words are used instead of the full forms of “if” and “but.” Two common examples are 若 ruò for “if” and 可 kě for “but.” They come from literary Chinese and add either a formal touch or a strong, punchy feeling depending on the context….
Grammar Point:In Chinese, “給给 gěi” isn’t just used to mean “to give.” It also works like a bridge between the action and the person who receives that action. We call this person the indirect object. When 给 gěi is used this way, it’s called an Indirect Object Marker — it shows who you’re doing something for or to. Structure S + V + 給给 gěi + Recipient + Direct…
Grammar Point:In Chinese, “給给 gěi” isn’t just used to mean “to give.” It also works like a bridge between the action and the person who receives that action. We call this person the indirect object. When 给 gěi is used this way, it’s called an Indirect Object Marker — it shows who you’re doing something for or to. Structure S + V + 給给 gěi + Recipient + Direct…
Grammar Point:In Chinese, when you want to tell someone where to put something or where something ends up after an action, you use the pattern “Verb + 在 zài.” This is called a Resultant Location structure. It shows the final location of an object after an action is done. Structure Knowing Object + V + 在 zài + Location This structure…
Grammar Point:There are 3 functions of 把 bǎ in Chinese. Determination, command, and doing a movement on something that makes a change to it. And since 把 bǎ cannot be translated into English, many English speakers feel awkward using it. But it is a piece of grammar that Chinese native speakers use a lot in…