Chinese grammar - 'To be unable' by negating compound verbs |
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In Chinese, the particle 不 (bù) is often used between two components of a compound verb to indicate an inability to perform the action described by the verb. This structure is typically used with certain types of compound verbs, such as those formed by combining a verb with a resultative complement, directional complement, or descriptive complement. — For instance, the verb 看见 (kànjiàn) means 'to see' which implies success or ability to view something. So negating it implies inability to see. — Likewise for verbs such as 听懂 (tīngdǒng) 'to hear' , 记住 (jìzhù) 'to remember' and, 写完 (xiěwán) 'to write down' or 'to finish writing' (and many others) which all imply success, ability or completion. |
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我看不见他。
wǒ kàn bù jiàn tā. I cannot see him. OR I don't see him. |
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他听不懂我。
tā tīng bù dǒng wǒ. He cannot understand me (by hearing).
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我记不住这个。
wǒ jì bù zhù zhè ge. I cannot remember this.
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我说不出话。
wǒ shuō bù chū huà. I cannot speak (a word).
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她写不完作业。
tā xiě bù wán zuòyè. She cannot finish the homework.
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他想不通为什么。
tā xiǎng bù tōng wèishénme. He cannot figure out why.
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我走不过桥。
wǒ zǒu bù guò qiáo. I cannot cross the bridge.
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他拿不起这个。
tā ná bù qǐ zhè ge. He cannot lift this.
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我看不懂这本书。
wǒ kàn bù dǒng zhè běn shū. I cannot understand this book. |
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他听不清老师的话。
tā tīng bù qīng lǎoshī de huà. He cannot hear the teacher's words clearly.
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我记不住她的名字。
wǒ jì bù zhù tā de míngzi. I cannot remember her name.
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她写不出这篇文章。
tā xiě bù chū zhè piān wénzhāng. She cannot write this article.
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他做不完今天的工作。
tā zuò bù wán jīntiān de gōngzuò. He cannot finish today's work. |
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我走不动了这么长的路。
wǒ zǒu bù dòng le zhème cháng de lù. I cannot walk such a long distance.
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他们找不到他的家。
tāmen zhǎo bù dào tā de jiā. They cannot find his house.
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我们打开不了这个门。
wǒmen dǎkāi bù liǎo zhè ge mén. We cannot open this door.
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他说不出一句话。
tā shuō bù chū yí jù huà. He cannot say a word.
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她看不起这些小事情。
tā kàn bù qǐ zhèxiē xiǎo shìqing. She looks down on these small matters.
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