HSK 2Lesson 2 of 13 · 5 grammar points
Reasons, reference and vivid description
为什么 asks for a reason, 自己 refers back to a person, and demonstratives can refer to manner or degree. Repeated adjectives add vividness. Quantities with 多 require attention to position and the number involved.
Learning goals (5)
- Asking why.
- Self with 自己.
- Such, this way, and every.
- Adjective reduplication.
- Large and approximate quantities.
为什么
Asking why
为什么 asks for a reason and normally precedes the predicate. A because-clause can answer it.
你为什么不吃饭？
Why aren't you eating?
More
Pitfall: Do not add 吗 to an ordinary 为什么 information question.
自己
Self with 自己
自己 refers to a contextually recoverable person and can emphasize independent action or mark reflexive possession.
我自己做饭。
I cook for myself.
More
Pitfall: In longer sentences, the referent of 自己 may be ambiguous; name the person when necessary.
那么、那样、这么、这样、每
Such, this way, and every
这样 and 那样 describe manner; 这么 and 那么 frequently modify degree. 每 normally combines with a classifier before a counted noun.
他每天都跑步。
He runs every day.
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这样做 do it this way; 那样说 say it that way; 这么高 this tall; 那么远 that far; 每个人 every person. 每 often pairs with 都 in the predicate, but 每天 does not require a separately inserted 个.
Pitfall: 每个学生 is a standard counted form; 每学生 is not.
AA、AABB
Adjective reduplication
Suitable adjectives can reduplicate as AA or AABB to make a description vivid or depict a manner/state.
房间干干净净的。
The room is nice and clean.
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慢慢地走 walk slowly; 干干净净的房间 a nice clean room. For a suitable two-syllable adjective AB, AABB may be natural. It is not a productive rule for every adjective; 漂亮 normally does not become 漂漂亮亮 in all the same environments as 干干净净 without attention to style.
Pitfall: Do not assume every adjective can use AABB or add 很 before every reduplicated form.
万、好多、多
Large and approximate quantities
万 denotes ten thousand. 好多 means quite a lot; 多 after an appropriate numerical expression indicates an amount beyond that number.
这里有一万多人。
There are over ten thousand people here.
More
一万=10,000; 十万=100,000. 好多人 means quite a lot of people. 多 in 十多个人 signals more than ten, whereas 好多 does not specify an exact threshold.
Pitfall: Do not translate 万 as one thousand.
Source details (official syllabus)
Asking why
- Syllabus item
- 为什么
- Category
- 疑问代词
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L2-006
- PDF page
- 389 (printed 386)
Self with 自己
- Syllabus item
- 自己
- Category
- 人称代词
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L2-007
- PDF page
- 389 (printed 386)
Such, this way, and every
- Syllabus item
- 那么、那样、这么、这样、每
- Category
- 指示代词
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L2-008
- PDF page
- 389 (printed 386)
Adjective reduplication
- Syllabus item
- AA、AABB
- Category
- 形容词重叠
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L2-009
- PDF page
- 389 (printed 386)
Large and approximate quantities
- Syllabus item
- 万、好多、多
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L2-010
- PDF page
- 389 (printed 386)
- 1FILL BLANK
你不吃饭？
Choose the expression that completes the sentence.
“Why aren't you eating?”
- 2FILL BLANK
这里有人。
Choose the expression that completes the sentence.
“There are over ten thousand people here.”
- 3MATCH
Tap a sentence, then tap its meaning.
Tap a sentence, then tap its meaning.
- 4CHOOSE
Which asks for a reason?
- 5CHOOSE
A：为什么没来？ B：因为生病了。B supplies which information?
- 6ORDER
Tap the chunks to build the sentence.
“Why aren't you eating?”
Tap the chunks in order. - 7ORDER
Tap the chunks to build the sentence.
“I cook for myself.”
Tap the chunks in order.
0 of 7 tasks answered.
Next lesson: Measures and acting together →为什么Asking why
- 可这次，我终于知道这个女人为什么要走了。 The Borrowed Book · HSK 3
自己Self with 自己
- 我自己吃了两碗，菜还是没吃完。 Who Does the Dishes Today · HSK 3
- 比赛开始以前，我有一点儿着急，我告诉自己不要害怕。 Sports Meet at Our School · HSK 3
- 他先让我看他怎么做，然后让我自己试一下。 Learning to Play Table Tennis with My Older Brother · HSK 3
那么、那样、这么、这样、每Such, this way, and every
- 每个季节我都喜欢。 The Four Seasons · HSK 1
- 回家的路上，爸爸说：“每个人都喜欢干净的环境，我们要让公园一直干净、漂亮。” A Walk in the Mountain Park · HSK 3
- 我有一点儿着急，哥哥笑着说：“没关系，开始的时候都是这样。” Learning to Play Table Tennis with My Older Brother · HSK 3
AA、AABBAdjective reduplication
- 两只猫吃完以后，没有进楼，也没有跟我回家，只是慢慢地走了。 Feeding Two Stray Cats Downstairs · HSK 3