Chinese Grammar Patterns and Explanations

CHINESE GRAMMAR

句型

Part II

 Hills Learning designed these lessons to teach Chinese grammar patterns. While the emphasis is on learning grammar concepts, we also want you to learn all the new words in the following examples.

1)      除非…才/否则  (chu2fei1......cai2/fou3ze2)

Meaning: only if (…, or otherwise, …), only when, only in the case that, unless

Example:  除非你和我一起去，否则我不去这次晚会。

Meaning: Only if you go with me to this party, otherwise I will not go.

Example:  除非特别高兴的时候，他才喝酒。

Meaning: He drinks alcohol, only if there is an occasion.

  2)       哪儿啊, …(nar3a0)

Meaning: No way, absolutely not (usually used in the beginning of sentence)

Example:  那人就是小王的丈夫巴？ 哪儿啊，那时小王的哥哥。

Meaning: That person is Mrs. Wang’s husband, right? No way, that is her elder brother.

  3)      一下子...(yi1xia4zi0)

Meaning: In a short while, all of a sudden, all at once

Example:  生活一下子显得一片空虚，毫无意义。

Meaning: Life seemed all of a sudden empty and meaningless.

Example:  那里孩一下子哭了起来。

Meaning: The boy at once began crying.

  4)      省得...(sheng3de0)

Meaning: To avoid something, in order to avoid something

Example: 我们早点出发巴，省得路上堵车。

Meaning: If we leave the house earlier in the morning, we will avoid the traffic jam.

  5)      只是…而已   ( zhi3shi4...er2yi3)

Meaning: Merely, just

Example:  这只是你的一个人看法而已，并不代表董事会的决定。

Meaning: It is just your personal opinion, it has nothing to do with the decision of the board of directors.