\tSome English words have several possible Mandarin Chinese translations. Knowing when to use the correct word is one of the main challenges for both beginner-level Mandarin students and professional translators alike.<\/p>\n
\tFor example, the English word for "can" has at least three possible Mandarin translations: \u80fd (néng), \u53ef\u4ee5(k\u011b y\u01d0), and \u4f1a (huì).<\/p>\n
\tAnother English word with multiple translations is “and”. You may think that there can be no possible variations on "and", but read on and discover the nuances of this simple word.<\/p>\n
\tJOINING NOUNS
\tIn sentences which combine nouns or noun phrases, there are three ways to say "and." All three of these connectors are interchangeable and commonly used. They are:<\/p>\n
\thé – \u548c
\thàn – \u548c
\tg\u0113n – \u8ddf
\tNote that hé and hàn are the same character. The hàn pronunciation is most commonly heard in Taiwan.<\/p>\n
\tSENTENCE EXAMPLES OF JOINING NOUNS
\tHe and I are colleagues.
\tW\u01d2 hàn t\u0101 shì tóngshì.
\t\u6211\u548c\u4ed6\u662f\u540c\u4e8b\uff61<\/p>\n
\tBoth pineapple and mango are good to eat.
\tFènglí hé mánggu\u01d2 d\u014du h\u011bn h\u01ceo ch\u012b.
\t(traditional form) \u9cf3\u68a8\u548c\u8292\u679c\u90fd\u5f88\u597d\u5403\uff61
\t(simplified form) \u51e4\u68a8\u548c\u8292\u679c\u90fd\u5f88\u597d\u5403\uff61<\/p>\n
\tShe and mom went for a walk.
\tT\u0101 g\u0113n m\u0101ma qù guàng ji\u0113.
\t\u5979\u8ddf\u5abd\u5abd\u53bb\u901b\u8857\uff61
\t\u5979\u8ddf\u5988\u5988\u53bb\u901b\u8857\uff61<\/p>\n
\tThis pair of shoes and that pair of shoes are the same price.
\tZhè shu\u0101ng xié g\u0113n nà shu\u0101ng xié jiàqian yíyàng.
\t\u9019\u96d9\u978b\u8ddf\u90a3\u96d9\u978b\u50f9\u9322\u4e00\u6a23\uff61
\t\u8fd9\u53cc\u978b\u8ddf\u90a3\u53cc\u978b\u4ef7\u94b1\u4e00\u6837\uff61
\tJOINING VERBS
\tThe Mandarin Chinese character \u4e5f (y\u011b) is used to join verbs or verb phrases. It translates as either “and” or “also”.<\/p>\n
\tSENTENCE EXAMPLES USING Y\u011a
\tI like to watch movies and listen to music.
\tW\u01d2 x\u01d0huan kàn diàny\u01d0ng y\u011b x\u01d0huan t\u012bng y\u012bnyuè.
\t\u6211\u559c\u6b61\u770b\u96fb\u5f71\u4e5f\u559c\u6b61\u807d\u97f3\u6a02\uff61
\t\u6211\u559c\u6b22\u770b\u7535\u5f71\u4e5f\u559c\u6b22\u542c\u97f3\u4e50\uff61<\/p>\n
\tHe doesn’t like to go for walks and he doesn’t like to exercise.
\tT\u0101 bù x\u01d0huan guàng ji\u0113 y\u011b bù x\u01d0huan yùndòng.
\t\u4ed6\u4e0d\u559c\u6b61\u901b\u8857\u4e5f\u4e0d\u559c\u6b61\u904b\u52d5\uff61
\t\u4ed6\u4e0d\u559c\u6b22\u901b\u8857\u4e5f\u4e0d\u559c\u6b22\u8fd0\u52a8\uff61
\tOTHER TRANSITION WORDS
\tThere are a few Mandarin Chinese words that can be translated as “and”, but which more accurately mean “furthermore," “moreover,” or other such transition words. These words are sometimes used to show a cause and effect relationship between the two phrases.<\/p>\n
\tChinese transition words include:<\/p>\n
\tér qi\u011b – \u800c\u4e14: additionally
\tbìng qi\u011b – \u4e26\u4e14 (traditional) \/ \u5e76\u4e14 (simplified): and; moreover
\trán hòu – \u7136\u5f8c \/ \u7136\u540e: and then
\ty\u01d0 hòu – \u4ee5\u5f8c \/ \u4ee5\u540e: and after
\thái y\u01d2u – \u9084\u6709 \/ \u8fd8\u6709: even more; on top of that
\tc\u01d0 wài – \u200b\u6b64\u5916: furthermore
\tSENTENCE EXAMPLES OF TRANSITION WORDS
\tThis is a very good movie and (moreover) the music is very nice.
\tZhè bù diàny\u01d0ng h\u011bnh\u01ceokàn érqi\u011b y\u012bnyuè h\u011bnh\u01ceo t\u012bng.
\t\u9019\u90e8\u96fb\u5f71\u5f88\u597d\u770b\u800c\u4e14\u97f3\u6a02\u5f88\u597d\u807d\uff61
\t\u8fd9\u90e8\u7535\u5f71\u5f88\u597d\u770b\u800c\u4e14\u97f3\u4e50\u5f88\u597d\u542c\uff61<\/p>\n
\tThis knapsack is very practical and (furthermore) the price is reasonable.
\tZhègè fángshu\u01d0 b\u0113ib\u0101o h\u011bn shíyòng bìngqi\u011b jiàgé hél\u01d0.
\t\u9019\u500b\u9632\u6c34\u80cc\u5305\u5f88\u5be6\u7528\u4e26\u4e14\u50f9\u683c\u5408\u7406\uff61
\t\u8fd9\u4e2a\u9632\u6c34\u80cc\u5305\u5f88\u5b9e\u7528\u5e76\u4e14\u4ef7\u683c\u5408\u7406\uff61<\/p>\n
\tWe can first go have dinner and then see a movie.
\tW\u01d2men xi\u0101n qù ch\u012b w\u01cenc\u0101n ránhòu zài qù kàn diàny\u01d0ng.
\t\u6211\u5011\u5148\u53bb\u5403\u665a\u9910\u7136\u5f8c\u518d\u53bb\u770b\u96fb\u5f71\uff61
\t\u6211\u4eec\u5148\u53bb\u5403\u665a\u9910\u7136\u540e\u518d\u53bb\u770b\u7535\u5f71\uff61<\/p>\n
\tEat dinner, and then you can eat dessert.
\tCh\u012b wán w\u01cenc\u0101n y\u01d0hòu jiù néng ch\u012b tián di\u01cen.
\t\u5403\u5b8c\u665a\u9910\u4ee5\u5f8c\u5c31\u80fd\u5403\u751c\u9ede\u3002
\t\u5403\u5b8c\u665a\u9910\u4ee5\u540e\u5c31\u80fd\u5403\u751c\u70b9\u3002<\/p>\n
\tI'm cold because I didn't wear enough clothes, and on top of that it's snowing now.
\tW\u01d2 l\u011bng y\u012bnwèi w\u01d2 chu\u0101n bùgòu y\u012bfú, hái y\u01d2u xiànzài xià xu\u011ble.
\t\u6211\u51b7\u56e0\u70ba\u6211\u7a7f\u4e0d\u5920\u8863\u670d\uff0c\u9084\u6709\u73fe\u5728\u4e0b\u96ea\u4e86\u3002
\t\u6211\u51b7\u56e0\u4e3a\u6211\u7a7f\u4e0d\u591f\u8863\u670d\uff0c\u8fd8\u6709\u73b0\u5728\u4e0b\u96ea\u4e86\u3002<\/p>\n
\tLet's quickly go see the cherry blossoms. The weather is nice today, furthermore it will rain tomorrow.
\tW\u01d2men kuài qù kàn y\u012bnghu\u0101. Ti\u0101nqì h\u011bn h\u01ceo, c\u01d0wài míngti\u0101n huì xià y\u01d4.
\t\u6211\u5011\u5feb\u53bb\u770b\u6afb\u82b1\u3002\u5929\u6c23\u5f88\u597d\uff0c\u6b64\u5916\u660e\u5929\u6703\u4e0b\u96e8\u3002
\t\u6211\u4eec\u5feb\u53bb\u770b\u6a31\u82b1\u3002 \u5929\u6c14\u5f88\u597d\uff0c\u6b64\u5916\u660e\u5929\u4f1a\u4e0b\u96e8\u3002 <\/p>\n