HSK 4Lesson 4 of 14 · 9 grammar points

Compact expressions and evaluation

Four-character expressions often preserve conventional pairings. Other frames indicate ample supply, lack of time, possibility or reformulation. Learn their pragmatic meaning and distribution rather than building new phrases by blind substitution.

Learning goals (9)

Quantity with a size modifier.
Balanced 一a一b phrases.
Balanced 无a无b phrases.
Balanced 有a有b phrases.
Enough time: 来得及.
Plenty with 有的是.
Possibly with 说不定.
Not very with 不怎么.
Reformulation.

数词+形容词+量词

Quantity with a size modifier

A size adjective may intervene between number and measure: 一大碗饭.

他吃了一大碗面。

Tā chī le yī dà wǎn miàn.

He ate a large bowl of noodles.

Pitfall: Do not reorder this into 大一碗 when modifying the serving.

一A一B

Balanced 一A一B phrases

Established forms such as 一心一意 and 一举一动 create parallel emphasis or distribution.

他的一举一动都很自然。

Tā de yī jǔ yī dòng dōu hěn zì rán.

His every movement is natural.

Pitfall: Treat these as conventional phrases, not a free slot-filling machine.

无A无B

Balanced 无A无B phrases

无A无B pairs absence of related constraints or qualities, as in 无忧无虑.

孩子们无忧无虑地玩着。

Hái zi men wú yōu wú lǜ de wán zhe.

The children played without a care.

Pitfall: The words inside a conventional phrase cannot be replaced arbitrarily.

有A有B

Balanced 有A有B phrases

有A有B emphasizes a paired positive property, such as 有说有笑.

大家有说有笑地走进来。

Dà jiā yǒu shuō yǒu xiào de zǒu jìn lái.

Everyone came in chatting and laughing.

Pitfall: The whole phrase expresses a manner; it is not two unrelated possession statements.

来得及/来不及

Enough time: 来得及

来得及/来不及 describe whether an action can be accomplished before a deadline.

现在出发还来得及。

Xiàn zài chū fā hái lái de jí.

There is still time if we leave now.

来得及 before a deadline: 现在走还来得及. 来不及了 says the time available is insufficient. Compare 没来得及买票, which reports not managing in time on an occasion.

Pitfall: This concerns timing, not knowing how to perform the action.

有的是

Plenty with 有的是

有的是 emphasizes abundance, often reassurance or confidence.

别担心，我们有的是时间。

Bié dān xīn, wǒ men yǒu de shì shí jiān.

Don't worry; we have plenty of time.

Pitfall: It means an abundance, not just the existence of one item.

说不定

Possibly with 说不定

说不定 presents an uncertain possibility, often an unexpected one.

他明天说不定会来。

Tā míng tiān shuō bù dìng huì lái.

He might come tomorrow.

Pitfall: It does not literally mean unable to say a fixed phrase.

不怎么

Not very with 不怎么

不怎么 before an adjective or verb reduces degree or frequency.

我不怎么喝咖啡。

Wǒ bù zěn me hē kā fēi.

I don't drink coffee much.

Pitfall: Unlike 不喝, it can leave room for occasional drinking.

就是说/这就是说

Reformulation

就是说/这就是说 introduces a restatement or implication of preceding information.

这就是说，我们得重新开始。

Zhè jiù shì shuō, wǒ men děi chóng xīn kāi shǐ.

That means we have to start again.

Pitfall: Make the inferred meaning follow from the preceding statement.

Source details (official syllabus)

Quantity with a size modifier
Syllabus item
数词+形容词+量词
Grammar ID
grammar-L4-024
PDF page
395 (printed 392)
Balanced 一A一B phrases
Syllabus item
一A一B
Category
四字格
Grammar ID
grammar-L4-025
PDF page
395 (printed 392)
Balanced 无A无B phrases
Syllabus item
无A无B
Category
四字格
Grammar ID
grammar-L4-026
PDF page
395 (printed 392)
Balanced 有A有B phrases
Syllabus item
有A有B
Category
四字格
Grammar ID
grammar-L4-027
PDF page
395 (printed 392)
Enough time: 来得及
Syllabus item
来得及/来不及
Category
其他
Grammar ID
grammar-L4-028
PDF page
395 (printed 392)
Plenty with 有的是
Syllabus item
有的是
Category
其他
Grammar ID
grammar-L4-029
PDF page
395 (printed 392)
Possibly with 说不定
Syllabus item
说不定
Category
其他
Grammar ID
grammar-L4-030
PDF page
395 (printed 392)
Not very with 不怎么
Syllabus item
不怎么
Category
其他
Grammar ID
grammar-L4-031
PDF page
395 (printed 392)
Reformulation
Syllabus item
就是说/这就是说
Category
其他
Grammar ID
grammar-L4-032
PDF page
395 (printed 392)