Chinese Learning---- The usage of zi

Chinese Learning---- The usage of zi
Mar 12, 2009 00:00
ADAZHANG0628 Points: Join Date: Sep 29, 2008 Status: offline	Lots of students asked some nouns themselves can express meanings such as zhuō(table),beī(cup), and kuài(chopsticks) but why Chinese people get use to put a zi behind those words, become zhuō zi, beī zi, kuài zi? From grammar, zi usually adds behind a noun, verb, adjective to assistant to form a noun or noun phrase. And zi is a neutral tone in this situation. For example, qízi(flag, noun+ zi→noun), pàngzi(fat person, adjective+ zi→noun) Form customs, Chinese people prefer bisyllable(two characters phrase) a little ---juts a little bit, not absolute Most single characters which referring utensil can put zi behind it, except wǎn(bowl),bāo(bag, bāo zi become another phrase) and so on P.S. My English is not very good, so if anyone can’t understand or want further discussion pls give me E-mail and it just my teaching thinking, welcome to criticize and exchange

Mar 12, 2009 00:00

ADAZHANG0628
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Join Date: Sep 29, 2008
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Lots of students asked some nouns themselves can express meanings such as zhuō(table),beī(cup), and kuài(chopsticks) but why Chinese people get use to put a zi behind those words, become zhuō zi, beī zi, kuài zi?

From grammar, zi usually adds behind a noun, verb, adjective to assistant to form a noun or noun phrase. And zi is a neutral tone in this situation. For example, qízi(flag, noun+ zi→noun), pàngzi(fat person, adjective+ zi→noun)
Form customs, Chinese people prefer bisyllable(two characters phrase) a little ---juts a little bit, not absolute

Most single characters which referring utensil can put zi behind it, except wǎn(bowl),bāo(bag, bāo zi become another phrase) and so on

P.S. My English is not very good, so if anyone can’t understand or want further discussion pls give me E-mail and it just my teaching thinking, welcome to criticize and exchange

Mar 14, 2009 00:14

BOBERT
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Join Date: Jan 1, 2009
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Hi ADAZHANG, maybe you can help me. I have just bought a book called "One minute Mandarin" but there seems to be a discrepency in chapter two.

It says "gao xing" means "be happy". "Ni gao xing ma"... "Are you happy?" So does "Gao" mean "be" or does it have to accompany "Xing".

Can I use "xing" alone? Or can I use "gao" in other contexts. Such as.."gao hao"... "be good"

P.S. I know "gao" also means "tall".

Mar 14, 2009 05:51

GUESTSAKEFREE

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOBERT

hey BOBERT, I am a passer-by, but I think I can throw some light upon your question. "GAo" has to accomany "xing" when it means "be happy", and literally "Gao" means " look tall and on a top level", it has nothing to do with "be", it is an adjective alone, and " xing" cannot mean " be happy" alone either. when two chinese are put together, they can make a completely new meaning. so when you are talking about being happy, make sure you say" gao xing". plus, In chinese, the word for " be" is "shi".

Mar 14, 2009 06:12

SAKEFREE
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Quote:

Originally Posted by BOBERT

hey BOBERT, would you mind if I answer your question? I just wanna help.
first of all, "gao" doesn't mean " be" at all, it means " be tall or at a top level", it is anadjective. and " xing" alone doesn't mean" be happy" either. so you have to put them together when you are talking about being happy. and since "gao" doesn't mean " be", " gao hao" doesn't mean " be good", nonsense acutally. in CHinese, the word for " be" is " shi".
hope It does help.

Mar 14, 2009 16:01	#4
BOBERT Points: Join Date: Jan 1, 2009 Status: Offline	Thank you SAKEFREE. I understand now. I wonder if I could ask one more question. I would be grateful if you would explain the difference between "gao xing" and "kuai le". I think it might be similar to the difference between "be happy" and "am happy". Is that correct? If so, I presume it makes no sense to say "gao xing le".

Mar 14, 2009 20:42

SAKEFREE
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Quote:

Originally Posted by BOBERT

Thank you SAKEFREE. I understand now. I wonder if I could ask one more question. I would be grateful if you would explain the difference between "gao xing" and "kuai le". I think it might be similar to the difference between "be happy" and "am happy". Is that correct? If so, I presume it makes no sense to say "gao xing le".

hey BOBERT, I am glad that I could throw some light upon your question.
please feel free to ask me any question about Chinese learning.
as to your question, " gao xing" and " kuai le" mean pretty much the same thing, they are both adjectives, the difference between them is like the difference between " be happy'' and " be glad", their meanings are very close. more profoundly, I think " gao xing" is for an instant and temporary feeling, while " kuai le" for a comparatively long and stable emotional state. but in general, we use them almost the way. what you thought is not correct. in fact, " gao xing le" does make sense, " le" plays the same role in Chinese as " has" or " have" does in English, it is used to describe the perfect tenses, for example, " gao xing le" means " I have been happy for a while and I will continue being happy". if " le" goes after a verb, it means the motion has been done, like " chi le" means " has or have eaten". I think it is much easier than English in terms of tenses.

Mar 14, 2009 21:30	#6
ADAZHANG0628 Points: Join Date: Sep 29, 2008 Status: Offline	Hi Bobert, I gave your tow P.M. please check it

Mar 14, 2009 23:27	#7
BOBERT Points: Join Date: Jan 1, 2009 Status: Offline	Thanks to everyone for your advice. Unfortunately I have only two weeks to correct my misconceptions before I will be back in China but evey bit helps.

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