Grammar

PCR Lesson 16 Grammar
第十六課：這條裙子是新的
  • Colors:

    • Colors in Chinese:
      紅 [hóng] red
      黃 [huáng] yellow
      藍 [lán] blue
      白 [bái] white
      黑 [hēi] black
      綠 [lǜ] green
    • Additional Colors:
      顏色 [yánsè] color
      紫 [zǐ] purple
      粉紅 [fěnhóng] pink
      棕 [zōng] brown
      灰 [huī] gray
      青 [qīng] light blue or green
      橘色 [júsè] orange
      金色 [jīnsè] gold color
      咖啡色 [kāfēisè] coffee color

      色 is commonly appended to all color words, and is required for descriptive color words like 橘色 [júsè] orange, 金色 [jīnsè] golden, and 咖啡色 [kāfēisè] coffee colored.
    • Asking Color:
      Use 什麼 to ask what color.
      這是什麼顏色？
      她的裙子是什麼顏色？
  • Measure Words:

    • More on Measure Words:
      [Demonstrative + Measure Word] + Noun
      [Demonstrative + Numeral + Measure Word] form a structural unit, as such the noun can be left unsaid.
      這條裙子是她的[裙子]。
      這三件襯衫是哥哥的[襯衫]。
      那兩張京劇票是王老師的。那三張是謝老師的[京劇票]。
    • New Measure Words:
      張: primarily for objects with a smooth, flat surface
      件: for clothing worn on the upper body
      條: for clothing worn on the lower body
      一張紙
      兩件上衣
      三條褲子
  • The Numeral 兩:
    In numbering things 2 becomes 兩 when it precedes a MW. In numerical combinations when 2 is less than one hundred use 二, ie. 二十二.
    兩個女學生
    兩張地圖
  • Use of 的 in a 是 Sentence:
    [Modifier + 的] + Noun
    [Modifier + 的] form a structural unit, as such the noun can be left off.
    新的襯衫是我朋友的[襯衫]。舊的是我的[襯衫]。
    那條綠的裙子是姐姐的[裙子]。紅的[裙子]是媽媽的[裙子]。
  • The Locative Construction:
    Come/Go to Me/Him => 來我這兒。 去他那兒。

    [從 + Place] + Verb + (Place)
    從 + Origin + Verb + Destination
    從圖書館來教室。
    從我家去劇場。
  • Descriptive vs Categorical:

    • What are Descriptive and Categorical?:

      Descriptive indicates the degree of a given adjective like, "這件襯衫很白。" as opposed to "不白", or "不很白". These descriptions tell us the degree of whiteness.

      Delineating varying degrees differs subtlety from categorizing an object, for example, "這件襯衫是白的。" as opposed the entirely different categories of let's say "黑的", "藍的", or "紅的".

    • Descriptive:
      Descriptive: 很 + Adjective
      An object is varying degrees of the adjective. In this case very adjective, but could also be 不很.
      那張中國地圖很新。
      我們的漢語老師不很忙。
      這件襯衫太大。
      張老師的車不很新。
    • Categorical:
      Categorical: 是 + Adjective + 的
      An object is or is not in the category of being the adjective, or not being the adjective.
      那張中國地圖是新的。
      我們的漢語老師是忙的。
      這件襯衫是黑的，不是藍的。
      張老師的車不是新的，是舊的。