Tag: Chinese Grammar

甚至 (shènzhì) is similar to "even" in English and is used for emphasis. Like "even"， it can be used quite directly or in a more subtle manner. When used more subtly it acts to supplement the speaker’s initial thought, creating the impression that the speaker has realized half way through his statement that he hasn’t gone far enough, and wants to take the idea one step further.

原来 (yuánlái) means "originally" (similar to 本来) or "former". It can also mean "all along", and can be used to indicate a sudden realization of something previously unknown, a bit like "so it's been like that all along, how could I not have realized?".

In Chinese, there are "a lot" of ways to say "a lot." “有的是” (yǒudeshì) is one of those ways. However, we need to be very clear: "有的是" is not the same as "有的+是". Unfortunately, these two phrases are extremely close, but their meanings are not the same at all! "有的是" indicates that the amount or quantity of something is very large, and it can sometimes indicate a mood of exaggeration.

了一点儿(le yīdiǎnr), can be added after an adjective to mean "a little bit too". It is softer in tone than using 太, and so is often used when the speaker doesn't want to insult the listener by speaking too directly.

Adding 什么(shénme) to the end of an adjective (or less frequently a verb) can be used to form a rhetorical question. In the phrase 你急什么？"what are you worried about?", the speaker is implying that there is no need to be worried.

The complement 得很 (dehěn) is used after adjectives to add intensity. It is similar to adding 很 before the adjective，the main difference being that adjective + 得很 is more informal, and adds more emphasis than just 很 + adjective.

得不得了 (de bùdéliǎo) can be used as a complement to suggest a situation is serious, or is likely to result in perhaps terrible consequences. It can be used in a positive sense, like in English when we say "I'm terribly happy".

Both 显得 (xiǎnde) and 看起来 (kànqǐlái) have meanings in English like "to appear to be" or "seems like", but their connotations are pretty different.

One of the trickier points of Chinese grammar is how to use 通过 (tōngguò) and 经过 (jīngguò) correctly. Though they have very similar meanings, they have somewhat different uses

This article is a stub. Editors can help the Chinese Grammar Wiki by expanding it. Both “一直” (yīzhí) and “一向” (yīxiàng) mean something close to “all along,” and deal with continuous actions. However, their uses are different, and they are a pair of words that are often confused (and tested on!). This article will try to clarify when you are supposed to use them.