文法a

目 的︱全字︱聲母韻母聲調 句子 ︱文法b

他住在又一村,那個地方又美又高 貴。

He lives in Yau Yat Chuen. It is a beautiful and very expensive place to live.

Note 1: The base pattern of the first phrase is A住在B, where Bis the place  where A lives. In spoken Cantonese the verb 住在 is replaced with 住係.

Note 2: The base pattern for the second phrase is A又B又C, where Band Care characteristics of A. The pattern A又B又Cis an elaboration of the simpler pattern AB,AC. In this case A is 又一村: that place, or the previously mentioned place -- namely, 那個地方. The characteristics B and Care 美 and 高貴, respectively.

Note 3: Literally translated the expression 高貴 means highly valued. I have rendered it here as very expensive.

Note 4: As is usually the case, the counter 個 is necessary when using 那 as a demonstrative pronoun telling which location --  地方.

這個山有那個山那麼高,可是沒有那個山那麼美 This mountain is as high as that one, but not as beautiful.

Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is A有B那麼C,可是沒有B那麼D, where A and B are compared with respect to the qualities C and D. Though A and B are similar with respect to quality C,  A does not match B with respect to D.

In this case, two mountains are compared: one which is close relative to the speaker -- namely, 這個山; and one which is far from the speaker -- namely, 那個山. The qualities by which the two mountains are compared are height and beauty. These qualities are expressed as adjectives in the form 高 and 美.

Note 2: The opposite of A有B那麼C is A沒有B那麼C. In both cases A is compared with B with respect to C. In the first case A compares well with B. In the second Afalls short of B.

Note 3: These methods of comparison are grammatically awkward for English speakers. Consider the following patterns by way of example:

1) 他高,你不高。
2) 你沒有他那麼高。

In English these two comparisons translate as

1) He is tall, you are not tall.
2) You are not as tall as he.

In English both comparisons use the predicate adjective construction. In Chinese the first comparison uses predicate adjectives, the second does not. In the second comparison 高 appears to behave as a noun meaning height. In the first 高 appears to function as an adjective meaning high.

Note 4: Always the counter 個 appears between the demonstrative adjective and the noun which follows. As it were, 這個山 and 那個山.

Note 5: The construction 那麼Cor 那麼D as an expression of comparison appears standard and can probably be found elsewhere.
謝先生下個禮拜才去英國,因為他怕這個禮拜天氣不好。 Mr. Tse will not leave for England until next week, because he fears this week's weather will not be good.

Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is A,因為Bwhere Acorresponds to Mr. Tse's putting off his travel to English until next week, and Bis the reason for his having done so. As the Chinese is written entirely in the present tense, the English verb tense must be fashioned according to the probable meaning.

Note 2: The base pattern of the first clause is AB才去C, where C is the place to where Awill go, but not until B. In this case 謝先生 will not go to 英國 until 下個禮拜

Note 3:  上 and 下 are commonly used to express time that occurs before and after a particular moment, respectively. The counter 個 must be employed with 下 to express this notion with 禮拜.

Note 4: The base pattern of the second clause is A怕B, where Bis something that A fears. In this case it is the reason that Awill not go to England until next week. The reason is of course that 這個禮拜天氣不好 --namely, this week's weather is not good. Of course one cannot know, if this weeks weather is good or bad until the week has finished. Thus, in English the present tense is inappropriate.

Note 5: Once again the counter 個 is employed with 禮拜 in order to indicate which week -- namely this week 這個禮拜.
謝太太喜歡午飯的時候吃中國菜,晚飯的時候吃日本菜,每天都是這樣 At lunch time Mrs. Tse enjoys eating Chinese, at dinner she eats Japanese. Everyday is the same.

Note 1: The base pattern of the entire sentence is A喜歡B,C,每天都是這𣖙, where Band C are things that A likes to do everyday -- in this case, eating Chinese food at lunch, and Japanese food at dinner.

Note 2: The phrases B and C are nearly identical and change only in the words 午飯 and 晚飯, and 中國菜 and 日本菜. This repetitive sentence structure is also commonly found in the Japanese language and reflects the rhythmic nature of both the Japanese and Chinese languages.

The idea of lunch time and dinner time are captured by the phrases 午飯的 時候 and 晚飯的時候.

Note 3: Differentiating between Chinese and Japanese cuisine is achieved by placing the country names before the word 菜 -- namely,  中國菜 and 日本菜.

Note 4: The word 這樣 indicates sameness.

Note 5: The phrase 每天都是 highlights the meaning of 每 as each, rather than every. For if it meant every the word 都 would be unnecessary to convey the notion that each day is the same.
這句法文是甚麼意思,為甚麼那麼難說呢? What is the meaning of this French sentence, and why is it so difficult to pronounce?

Note 1: The base pattern of the first clause is A是甚麼意思, where Ais something whose meaning the speaker would like to know. The phrase 甚麼意思 asks the question "What meaing?".

Note 2  The base pattern of the second clause is 為甚麼那麼Bfor which the subject is understood to be that of the first clause -- namely, 這句法文. B is a characteristic of A which is present to some degree more than what the speaker had expected before making the statement.

Though it is likely that 那麼 describes the word 難, and that the phrase 那麼難 describes 說, it is not necessarily so. What if, for example, 難說 were a compound verb that meant "difficult to say"?  Then, 那麼 would serve as an adverb telling us the degree to which the sentence is difficult to say.

Note 3: Here I have rendered 說 as pronounce, rather than to say. In this context they probably mean the same.

Note 4: The subject phrase 這句法文 is somewhat confusing, because the term 法文 appears to have more than one meaning. In this particular context it means "French phrase" or "French sentence" as opposed to the "French language". 句 is used as a counter of 文, and 法文 tells us that it is a French sentence.
那個名人的名字是英才,他寫的東西很有名,他說的話是名言。 The name of that famous person is Ying Tsoi. His works are well known, and his sayings are famous.

Note 1: The base pattern of the first clause is A是B, where Ais a famous person named B. The name of the famous person is 英才 which also means genius in written Chinese.

A more literary interpretation of the word 名字 might also allow one to translate 英才 as genius. In other words, the person's name is  synonymous with the word genius.

Note 2: This clause is of particular interest because it highlights two important uses of the character 名. 名字 refers to the characters of a person's name; in effect it is the person's name expressed in writing. 名人 refers to a person who is famous; it is a person, who has a name that is known by everyone. The  use of the character 名 to express fame is also illustrated in the second and third clauses, where it appears in the expressions 有名 and 名言, respectively.

Note 3: The base pattern of the second clause is AB, where Bis the predicate adjective 很有名. The phrase 很有名 means very famous; it describes the works of the author -- namely, 他寫的東西.  Surprizingly, 有名 is employed as an adjective -- not as a verb phrase.

Note 4: The base pattern of the third clause is the same as the first -- namely, A是B. Like the character 名 in the word 名人, 名 in the word 名言 serves to emphasize that the spoken words 言 are well known. Thus, the spoken words of 英才 -- namely, 他說的話 are well known sayings 名言.

各位,今天我要說的話巳經說完了,明天再見吧,謝謝! Ladies and gentlemen. What I needed to say today I have already said. Tomorrow I will see you again. Thank you.

Note 1:  As 位 is a formal expression indicating a person, 各位 probably translates well as "ladies and gentlemen".

Note 2: Though apparently little more than a formality, the use of passive voice in the first clause is of interest. The base pattern is A巳經B完了, where Ais something that has already been acted on in the manner indicated by B. In this particular case A is something that has already been said 說 by the speaker -- namely, 今天我要說的話.

Note 3: 今天 refers to today, and 明天 refers to tomorrow.

Note 4: The endparticle 吧 suggests a command or request.
我今天十分忙,請你下個禮拜五再來一次,好嗎? I have my hands full today. Would it be possible for you to come again next Friday?

Note 1: The key phrase in the first clause is 十分. It means enough, plenty, or full. Thus, when used in combination with 忙, it appears to mean busy to such an extent that one cannot do any more.

Note 2: The second clause is a request whose base pattern is 請A再B一次, where B is something that the speaker would like Ato do again. In this particular case A refers to the listener and B his or her coming another time.

Note 3: Once again we see the pattern 下個C, where C refers to a time period which comes after the period in which the speaker is talking. The speaker refers to the following Friday -- namely,  禮拜五.

Note 4: The tag question 好嗎? asks for the listener's approval to the speaker's suggestion.
這些錢我怕用不到下個禮拜就沒有了,請你多給一些吧! I am afraid this money will not be enough, and next week I won't have any. Could you please give me some more?

I am afraid this money will not last until next week. Could you please give me some more.

Note 1: The base pattern for the phrase 這些錢我怕用不到 is CA怕B不到, where C is the accusative object of B, and A is the subject, who fears that BC will not be sufficient. The concept of insufficiency is given by 不到 which more literally means "not reach", "not attain",  or "not arrive".  This notion is seconded by the sentence part that follows -- namely, 下個禮拜就沒有了

Note 2: The subject of the phrase 下個禮拜就沒有了 appears understood and is the little money which the speaker is likely to use up.
以前張少姐穿的衣服又舊又難看,現在她穿的衣服又新又美。 The clothes that Miss Zheung wore before were old and ugly; the clothes she wears now are new and beautiful.

Note 1: The base pattern for this phrase is 以前A又B又C,現在A又D又E.  The repetition of A -- namely, 張少姐的衣服 ﹣﹣ although unnecessary to the English ear, is a common feature of the Chinese and Japanese languages with important syntatical uses elsewhere. Thus, it should be tolerated.

Note 2: The patterns 又B又C and 又D又E have been seen before, and express qualities of A -- namely, B and C, and D and Ethat are of equal importance in the mind of the speaker for each of the specified times 以前 and 現在.


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