{"id":6616,"date":"2015-12-22T15:50:16","date_gmt":"2015-12-22T15:50:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.digmandarin.com\/?p=6616"},"modified":"2022-05-02T12:24:07","modified_gmt":"2022-05-02T12:24:07","slug":"basic-verbs-that-are-different-in-chinese-and-english-part-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.digmandarin.com\/basic-verbs-that-are-different-in-chinese-and-english-part-ii.html","title":{"rendered":"Basic Verbs that are Different in Chinese and English Part II"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Although I always know Chinese and English were poles apart, I didn’t realize how much simple differences between the two languages could create problems for learners until I started developing the HelloChinese app. Even the tiniest difference can create a lot of confusion, particularly when it comes to basic verbs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After reading comments and questions from our users, I have decided to write a second post about the differences between Chinese and English verbs so that I can explain some more common verbs that I didn\u2019t cover in part one<\/a>. I hope will it help clear up some misunderstandings!<\/p>\n\n\n

\u5199<\/span>\u4f5c\u4e1a(xi\u011bzu\u00f2y\u00e8) \u2013 do<\/span> homework<\/h2>\n\n\n

I once asked my American colleague if I could translate \u201c\u5199\u4f5c\u4e1a\u201d (xi\u011b zu\u00f2y\u00e8) into “write homework”. She insisted that an American would never say “write homework” but rather, “do homework”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since I had found this difference strange myself, I wasn\u2019t surprised when I received an email this week in which the learner asked how on earth the word \u201cwrite\u201d could also mean \u201cdo\u201d!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actually”\u5199 \u201d(xi\u011b) doesn’t mean “do” at all. Chinese people just use the “\u5199\u201d (xi\u011b) for “homework”. Maybe this is because most Chinese homework is paper work, so we can assume that most homework will involve having to write something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another phrase “\u505a\u4f5c\u4e1a\u201d (zu\u00f2zu\u00f2y\u00e8) is a bit more similar to the English “do homework”. So if you like, you can always say “\u505a\u4f5c\u4e1a\u201d (zu\u00f2zu\u00f2y\u00e8). Just remember “\u5199\u4f5c\u4e1a\u201d (xi\u011bzu\u00f2y\u00e8) is also very common!<\/p>\n\n\n

\u6253<\/span>\u7535\u8bdd(d\u01ce di\u00e0n hu\u00e0) \u2013 make<\/span> a phone call<\/h2>\n\n\n

One learner sent me a message and asked what the word for \u201cmake\u201d was in this sentence:\u201c\u4ed6\u5728\u6253\u7535\u8bdd\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u4ed6\u5728\u6253\u7535\u8bdd\u201d(T\u0101 z\u00e0i d\u01ce di\u00e0nhu\u00e0) again can\u2019t be neatly translated from Chinese to English. In fact, there is no word that exactly translates to “make” in this sentence. “\u6253\u201d (d\u01ce) has a rich meaning in Chinese and is probably best understood as “beat\u201d or \u201chit”. It is also the correct verb in the phrase “make a phone call”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A word of warning! Memorizing \u201c\u6253\u201das “make” might not help your future learning because “\u6253\u7535\u8bdd\u201d (d\u01ce di\u00e0nhu\u00e0) is a very special use of the verb.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u5403<\/span>\u65e9\u996d(ch\u012bz\u01ceof\u00e0n) \u2013 have<\/span> breakfast<\/h2>\n\n\n

In order to let our learners understand each word in the sentence, we try to translate as literally as possible. For example:\u201c\u6211\u516b\u70b9\u4ee5\u524d\u5403\u65e9\u996d\u201d (W\u01d2 b\u0101di\u01cen y\u01d0qi\u00e1n ch\u012b z\u01ceof\u00e0n.)equates to \u201cI eat breakfast before 8:00\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately this caused confusion for another lovely learner who pointed out that English speakers usually say \u201dI have breakfast.\u201d rather than \u201cI eat breakfast\u201d. T_T<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In English a more general word, “have”, can usually be used to express “have a meal\u201d and \u201chave a drink”. However in Chinese we use more specific nouns. “\u5403\u201d (ch\u012b) or “\u559d\u201d (h\u0113) should be used for consuming food or drink.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u9001<\/span>\u4f60\u56de\u5bb6(s\u00f2ngn\u01d0hu\u00edji\u0101) \u2013 take<\/span> you home<\/h2>\n\n\n

Usually \u201c\u9001\u201d is translated into the verb “to send”. But in my experience I have found that \u201c\u9001\u201d rarely means “send” in a sentence but more often means \u201ctake\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u6211\u9001\u4f60\u56de\u5bb6\u5427\u201d (W\u01d2 s\u00f2ng n\u01d0 hu\u00edji\u0101 ba) means\u201c let me take<\/em> you home\u201d. \u201c\u6211\u4f1a\u9001\u4f60\u53bb\u673a\u573a\u201d (W\u01d2 hu\u00ec song n\u01d0 q\u00f9 j\u012bch\u01ceng.) means \u201cI will take<\/em> you to the airport\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a very useful word! In order to “take somebody to some place” we “\u9001(s\u00f2ng)[somebody]\u53bb(q\u00f9)\/\u56de(hu\u00ed)[some place]”.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u770b\u4e66(k\u00e0n sh\u016b)<\/span> \u2013 study<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

This is a very tricky one because\u770b\u4e66(k\u00e0n sh\u016b) actually has two meanings. In most cases, it can be translated into “read a book\u201d. But did you know its second translation is “to study”?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I heard this second use all the time when I was a student. My parents always told me “\u53bb\u770b\u4e66\u201d (q\u00f9 k\u00e0n sh\u016b). But they didn\u2019t mean I should go and read, they were reminding me to study! Maybe this is because Chinese parents believe “studying” is more or less identical to “reading (a book)”, just like they believe “doing\u201d homework is identical to “writing\u201d something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, I feel a little bit frustrated when I find I can\u2019t translate perfectly between two languages. Perhaps if we could, it would make learning Chinese easier. But then, I also think this is part of the fun of learning a language. While initially they may seem difficult, these differences between verbscan offer you a window into the mind of a Chinese person! By learning how to see the world in a different way you can gain a valuable new perspective in life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Although I always know Chinese and English were poles apart, I didn’t realize how much simple differences between the two languages could create problems for learners until I started developing the HelloChinese app. Even the tiniest difference can create a lot of confusion, particularly when it comes to basic verbs! After reading comments and questions…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":6619,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,176],"tags":[77,93,78,80,84],"post_series":[],"class_list":["post-6616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-learn-mandarin-online","category-usage","tag-beginner","tag-how-to-use","tag-intermediate","tag-self-study","tag-vocabulary","entry","has-media"],"yoast_head":"\nBasic Verbs that are Different in Chinese and English Part II<\/title>\n <meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=index-1279.html \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Basic Verbs that are Different in Chinese and English Part II\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Although I always know Chinese and English were poles apart, I didn’t realize how much simple differences between the two languages could create problems for learners until I started developing the HelloChinese app. Even the tiniest difference can create a lot of confusion, particularly when it comes to basic verbs! 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