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文法a
１）這個王子不但畫畫畫得很好，他還是一個很有名的歌王呢！
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This prince not only knows how to paint well, but he is also a king of song!
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is given by (Ａ１）不但Ｂ，（Ａ２）還Ｃ呢！ where Ｃis an observation made by the speaker about Ａ that describes Ａin a manner that is even more impressive (here positively) than what is initially described in observation Ｂ. In this case both ＢandＣare verb phrases, and Ａ１and Ａ２ are the same subject written in two different ways.
The structure of the verb phrases is not parallel insofar as the initial verb in each phrase is not the same.
Note 2a: The base pattern of Part Ｂis given by ＤＥＤ得Ｆwhere Ｄ得Ｆis an adverbial modifier of the verb Ｄ, and Ｅis the direct object of the first occurrence of the verb. This construction resembles another, more widely used pattern Ｄ得Ｆwhere 得Ｆis an adverbial modifier of Ｄ.
By repeating the verb twice the verb can appear next to its direct object and still be modified by the adverbial modifier 得Ｆ.
畫 + 畫 + 畫得很好
verb + direct object + extended adverbial phrase
(paint) + (painting) + (paint well)
Note 2b: The triplification of the character 畫 is unusual, but not unique. It is the result of the expression 畫畫 (verb + direct object). Other instances of triplification do occur.
Note 2c: The phrase 畫畫 apparently refers to any sort of picture making including activities such as drawing, sketching, and painting. Photography is likely not a good candidate here as the creative image is not made with one's hands. I have selected painting as it was the first complement that came to mind when I thought of singing. Obviously, many other translations would be equally good.
Note 3: The base pattern for Part Ｃis that of a modified predicate noun of the form 一個Ｈ的Ｇwhere Ｈ的 is an adjectival modifier of the noun phrase 一個Ｇ.
Part Ｇ is, of course, 很有名. It means "very famous". So, the phrase 一個很有名的王歌 means "one very famous king of song".
Note 4: The construction Ｊ王 is common. Many Hong Kong shops bear this pattern in their name. The Ｊ-element advertises the shop's featured good or service. Hong Kong is a city of many little entrepreneurs, each of whom regards himself as his own king. "The Noodle King", "The Wonton King", and "The Jade King" are three quick examples of this phenomenon.
The phrase 王子 likely refers to a member of a royal family. It means prince - the son of a king. Without better context this is probably a good assumption.
Note 5: The post-sentence particle 呢 expresses either the speaker's amazement or his eagerness to persuade the listener of the veracity of the speaker's claim.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1589074
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1589076
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２）飛機下午一點三十分才起飛，現在是上午十點十分，你不必那麼早去。
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The plane does not depart until 13:30. It is now 10:10 in the morning. You needn't leave so early.
Note 1: The base pattern to this sentence is given by Ｄ，Ｅ，Ａ不必ＢＣ where Ｄand Ｅare two conditions that create a situation wherein Ａis not required to doＣin some manner Ｂ.
Note 2: The two conditions described by Ｄand Ｅhang together as they contrast two points in time -- an expected future event and the present. When taken together their base pattern becomes ＦＫ才Ｇ，現在是Ｈ where Ｈ(now) and Ｋ(future) are the two contrasted points in time, and whereＦＧis the future event.
The character 才serves to bind these two sentence parts by indicating that event ＦＧ does not take place until Ｋ. The phrasing 現在是Ｈtells us the moment in which the speaker makes his observation -- in the present 現在 (now).
In both cases time is depicted, as if it were a stream or river flowing from a high place 上 (before) to a low place 下 (after) relative to the same point -- i.e., noon 午. In effect, the future event occurs in the afternoon 下午 and the current time is before noon 上午 (morning).
Both points in time are known precisely within the minute and these are given by the general pattern Ｍ點Ｎ分 (at the nth minute past the Mth hour)
In this case, the listener's plane 飛機 is not scheduled to take off 起飛 until 1:30 PM 下午一點三十分才, and the current time 現在 is 是 10:10 AM 上午十點十分.
Notice that the symbol 十 is used in place of zero when some multiple of 10 is indicated.
Note 3: The placement of the adverb in the construction 你不必那麼早去, rendered as Ａ不必ＢＣ, is noteworthy.
In the absence of the adverbial modifier 那麼早 the verb phrase of this sentence part is 不必去 （不必Ｃ）where 去 and 不必 constitute, respectively, the main verb and its negated modal auxillary.
In the absence of a modal auxillary the adverbial modifier of a verb usually appears before the verb. When a modal auxillary is present, however, the adverbial modifier appears between the modal and the main verb. This is very similar to English.
Consider, by way of example, the following three additional sentences:
1) 我必須馬上去機場。
I must leave for the airport immediately.
必須 + 馬上 + 去機場
modal + adverbial modifier + verb phrase
2) 你應該好好溫習功課。
You should be cracking your books.
應該 + 好好 + 溫習功課
modal + adverbial modifier + verb phrase with d.o.
3) 我們絕不能輕率地下結論。
We must not jump to rash conclusions.
絕不能 + 輕率 + 下結論
modified modal + adverbial modifier + verb phrase with d.o.
In sentence #1 the adverb 馬上 (immediately, quickly, in haste, etc.) appears between the main verb 去 (go, leave, depart, etc.) and its modal 必須 (must, need, require, etc.).
In sentence #2 the adverb 好好 (energetically, seriously, with good application) appears between the main verb 溫習 (review, refresh, study, etc.) and its modal 應該 (should). In this example, the main verb is followed by a direct object.
In sentence #3 the adverbial phrase 輕率地 (carelessly, whimsically, with little thought, etc.) lies between the modified modal 絕不能 and the main verb 下 in the phrase 下結論 (draw a conclusion, or draw conclusions).
Note 4: The phrase 不必 (not need, not require, etc.) is apparently the negative cognate of the verb 必須 (need, require, etc.).
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1592104
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1592980
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３）白天，在這條路來往的車子跟行人都很多。
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During the daytime many small cars and people pass along this stretch of the road.
Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is Ｄ，Ｃ的Ａ跟Ｂ都很多 where Ａand Ｂare two things described byＣthat are in abundance during time Ｄ.
The subjects of this sentence are, of course, ＡandＢand the phrase 都很多 serves as a predicate adjective telling how many of Ａand Ｂare present.
Note 2: Once again, we observe an instance where an adverbial modifier of time is placed at the beginning of a sentence and set-off with a comma.
One is compelled to ask, why the word 白天 does not appear directly before the predicate adjective 都很多? Is it because it is not grammatically well described -- say, in a phrase like 在白天? Or, is it thus placed to contrast daytime and nighttime traffic?
Note 3: Part Ｃcorresponds to the phrase 在這條路來往的. It is an adjectival phrase that likely describes both Ａand Ｂ. The character 跟 serves as a conjunction that binds Ａand Ｂso that they may be treated together as one subject.
The phrase 在這條路 tells where the 來往 (coming and going) takes place. The word 往 is often used to describe movement toward a specific destination. For example, 往中還的車 would translate as a train headed towards Central (Station).
Note 4: As the counter for 路 is 條, the phrase 這條路 can be translated as "this road", or perhaps even "this stretch of the road" -- meaning a portion of the same road different from other parts.
Note 5: The words 車子 and 行人 refers to motor vehicles (likely automobiles, i.e., small 車) and pedestrians, respectively. The term 車子 is apparently colloquial stemming from Southern China. It is often synonymous with 車, the Chinese character for just about any means of transport that takes place on wheels.
Note 6: The adverbial modifiers 都 and 白天 likely hang together indicating that anytime during the day much vehicle and pedestrian traffic can be found.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1592982
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４）往年，這裡的學生都很喜歡念書，現在他們只對唱歌有興趣。
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In the past all of the students hear enjoyed studying, today their only interest is in singing.
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is 往年Ａ，現在Ｂ where Ａand Ｂare two observations made by the speaker about the past and present, respectively.
The placement of the comma after 往年 makes little sense, and none will be sought.
In order to understand the word 往年 imagine that you are in the present and that the years of the past are coming towards you. The character 往 commonly expresses the direction toward which something or someone moves.
Note 2: The base pattern of Part Ａ is very common. It combines a modified noun-subject with a transitive verb and a direct object.
The modified noun subject is 這裡的學生 (students of the school to which the speaker apparently belongs), the transitive verb is 喜歡 (like, enjoy), and the direct object is the activity 念書 (studying).
Note 3: The phrase 這裡 (literally, this inside) typically translates into English as "here". In this context it tells the location of the students about whom the speaker makes his observation.
Note 4: Though the phrase 念書 can sometimes be translated as "reading", one has only to compare the phrases 看書 (reading) and 念書 (reading, studying) to understand that "studying" is likely meant -- else, why had the author not more simply written 看書?
Note 5: The two adverbial modifiers 都 and 很, though written side-by-side, clearly function separately. The first emphasizes the author's notion that ALL students in the past enjoyed studying. The second indicates how much they enjoyed the activity -- namely, 很 (very much).
Note 6: The structure of Part B is grammatically more interesting. It's base pattern is Ｃ只對Ｄ有興趣 where Ｄis something in which Ｃis interested to the extent that nothing else seems to matter 只 (only, merely, exclusively).
Notice the placement of the adverbial modifier 只; it appears before the prepositional phrase 對唱歌, not before the verb 有.
Note 7: The phrases 念書 (studying) and 唱歌 (singing), whose construction is that of a verb (念 and 唱) and its direct object （書 and 歌）, respectively, both appear as gerunds.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1594674
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| ５）春假快到了，我們計劃到城外旅行，看看春景，你們有什麼計劃嗎？ |
Spring vacation is fast approaching, and we are planning to go to the country and see the spring landscape. Do you have any plans?
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is one that we have seen many times before -- namely, Ｃ，Ｄ，Ａ有甚麼Ｂ嗎？ where Ｃ and Ｄare two observations made by the speaker ending in a question. In this case the listeners 你們 are asked, if they do not have 有 plans 計劃 for the fast approaching 快到 spring vacation 春假.
Ostensibly, the listener could be a single person who is part of a group about whom the asker of the question is interested.
嗎 is a post-sentence particle that asks a question for which a Yes/No response is expected.
Note 2: With regard to the question. Apparently the phrasing 「你有甚麼Ｂ嗎？」 should be translated as "Do you have any Ｂ?" and not "What Ｂdo you have?"
什麼 is another way of writing 甚麼, but is likely an example of poor writing, because it combines the simplified version of 甚 （namely, 什 ）with the traditional version of 麼. This said, one should expect some merging of the two writing systems, especially in areas of China where there exists a high concentration of both Mandarin and Cantonese speakers in close proximity. Shenzhen lies along the border between Hong Kong and the Mainland and is just such a location.
Note 3: The phrasing 春假快到了 is apparently short for 春假快要到了which means that spring is just around the corner. The coming of spring vacation, like the coming of spring, is something to which most of us look forward. As a result, there are many different ways to express this idea.
It has been suggested that the post-sentence particle 了is sometimes used to soften the tone of a statement. If this is true, then it is useful here because it softens the inevitability of a future event.
Note 4: The base pattern of Part D given by 我們計劃到城外旅行，看看春景 is Ｅ計劃Ｆ，看看Ｇwhere 看看Ｇis what Ｅwill do as the result of carrying out their plan -- namely 到城外旅行 （leave the city and take a trip to the country）.
By contrasting the two phrases 我們計劃到城外旅行 and 你們有甚麼計劃嗎 we observe two possible uses of the same word 計劃 -- namely, that of a verb and noun, respectively.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1435114
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1596402
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1596406
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1596410
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６）夏天穿布衣服去旅行，又涼快又輕便，太好了！
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1) Wearing cotton on a summer trip is simply grand; one feels so light and cool.
2) Cotton is both light and cool, the perfect wear for summer travel. (A great advertisment for cotton wear!)
Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence appears to be Ａ，又Ｂ又Ｃ，Ｄ！where Ｂand Ｃare a set of conditions or qualities related to Ａ that result in some final assessment Ｄ.
Note 2: Consider Part A whose base pattern is given by （Ｅ）夏天ＦＧ where Ｆand Ｇ are a sequence of events undertaken by the understood subject Ｅ, who could be the speaker or anyone else in the speaker's mind who is likely to agree with him.
The sequence of events are 穿布衣服 (put on or wear cotton clothing) and 去旅行 (take a trip) . These two events occur together during the summer 夏天.
The noun for summer functions here as an adverb of time telling when the two events take place.
Note 3: Parts ＢandＣhang together as two descriptive elements of what precedes. Grammatically they are bound by the repetition of the pattern 又Ｘ. The elements are 涼決 (cool, comfortable, etc.) and 輕便 (lightweight, portable, convenient, etc.), respectively.
Unfortunately, we are uncertain as to what they are describing. In effect, we do not know whether their subject is 布衣服 (cotton clothing), the understood subject of the phrase 夏天穿布衣服去旅行, or the phrase itself -- namely, the activity of wearing cotton and travelling during the summer.
Note 4: The confusion with regard to the true subject of Parts ＢandＣ renders the exclamation 太好了！ ("So great!", "So magnificent!", "So good!", etc.) at the end equally subjectless.
Note 5: In order to understand the above sentence it is perhaps useful to compare it with another of similar pattern: 昨晚下大雨打雷閃電, 又急又響, 真可怕! -- namely, 昨晚Ａ，又Ｂ又Ｃ，Ｄ！
Last evening 昨晚 it rained heavily下大雨 and there was thunder 雷 and lightning 閃電. Everthing was so sudden 急 and loud 響. It was dreadful 真可怕.
Here it is fairly clear that the phrasing given by 又Ｂ又Ｃis describing the situation observed by the speaker in Part Ａ. The exclamation 真可怕！（It was dreadful!）tells us how the speaker felt under the conditions described by Ａ，又Ｂ又Ｃ.
Note 6: Using the example provided in Note 5, is it not likely that the phrases 又涼快又輕便 and 太好了！each describes the entirety of what precedes, rather than specific qualities of cotton fabric and clothing made from it?
Certainly, the jury is out, but it is something for which we can be on the look out in the long stretch ahead.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1599368
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７）我最喜歡秋天，因為秋天的天氣不太冷也不太熱。
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I like autumn best, because the weather is not too hot and not too cold.
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ，因為Ｂ. Where Ａis an observation made by the speaker that he justifies with Ｂ.
In this case the speaker 我 likes 喜歡 the autumn season 秋天, because the weather 天氣 is neither too hot 不太熱 nor too cold 不太泠.
Note 2: The base pattern of Part Ａis Ｃ喜歡Ｄwhere Ｄis something that Ｃlikes. In this case, the speaker 我 likes 喜歡 autumn 秋天.
Note 3: The base pattern of Part Ｂis Ｅ不太Ｆ也不太Ｇ where Ｅis the subject, and where ＦandＧare two qualities of Ｅ-- neither of which is present in excess.
The subject is autumn weather 秋天的天氣, and the two qualities are cold 冷 and hot 熱.
Note 4: Obviously there are a number of ways that one can express this same idea in English. For example, one could write "not too cold and not too hot" in the same order as the Chinese, or one could replace the conjunction "and" with a comma. One could also be very formal and write "neither too hot, nor too cold".
As the statement is likely informal, and it is common to write hot before cold when comparing two extremes of temperature, I have chosen the above translation.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1601516
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８）冬天，中國北方的天氣比南方的冷很多，美國的情形怎麼樣？
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In winter it is much colder in the north of China than in the south. What is it like in the US?
Note 1: The base pattern to this sentence is 冬天，Ｂ，Ａ怎麼樣？where Ａ怎麼樣 asks a question about Ａ that is related to some observation Ｂmade by the speaker regarding the winter season.
In this case the speaker wishes to compare 比 winter 冬天 weather 天氣 conditions 情形 in China 中國 with those in the US 美國. By way of introduction the speaker compares winter weather in the north 北方 and south 南方 of China.
Once again, we observe an example, where time is set off by a comma, as an introductory element to the rest of the sentence. In this case, time is represented as a season -- namely, 冬天.
Note 2: The base pattern of Part Ｂis given by Ｃ比ＤＥ很多 where Ｅis some quality of Ｃand Ｄwhich is much more present in Ｃthan in Ｄ.
In this case Ｃis given by the modified noun 中國北方的天氣 where 中國北方refers to the north 北方 of China 中國, and 天氣 is, of course, the weather of that area. The phrase 中國北方的 is, of course, an adjectival modifier of the patternＦ的, and Ｆis the noun phrase 中國北方.
The weather in this region is then compared with the weather in the south of China （中國）南方的（天氣）. Both words in parentheses are understood.
The standard of comparison for the weather of the two regions is given by 冷 (cold). In effect, the weather in the north of China is much colder 冷很多 than the weather in the south. Important to note here is that the modifying adverb 很多 of the adjective 冷 is placed after the adjective -- not before. This somewhat unusual placement is likely to ensure that the comparative pattern Ｃ比ＤＥis preserved.
Note 3: Part Ａis the content of the question Ａ甚麼樣？It is given by 美國的情形 which is in the form of a simple modified noun meanings (weather) conditions 情形 in (of) the United States 美國.
In order to understand the placement of the question word 甚麼樣 one has merely to examine what a possible answer to the question might look like.
Question: 美國的情形甚麼樣？
Answer: 美國的情形一樣，冬天美國北方的天氣冷，南方的熱。
In effect, the question word is placed where the answer to the question would occur, were the question made into a statement that answers the question.
It is important that one not confuse the uses of 樣 in the question word 甚麼樣 (What is it like? How is it?, etc.) and the proposed answer 一樣 (the same).
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1603966
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９）太平洋是世界上最大的海洋，大西洋是不是最小的呢？
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The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world, and the Atlantic Ocean is the smallest, is it not?
Note 1: A simple base pattern for this sentence can be given by Ａ是Ｃ，Ｂ是不是Ｄ呢？in which Ａand Ｂare two things about which the speaker has specific knowledge Ｃand Ｄ. Although certain about the relationship between ＡandＣ, the speaker is uncertain about the relationship between Ｂand Ｄand asks the listener for confirmation.
Note 2: A more complex rendering of the base pattern is given by the base pattern Ａ是Ｄ的Ｃ，Ｂ是不是Ｅ的（Ｃ）呢？where Ｃis some standard used to compare Ａand Ｂ, and ＤandＥare two measurements using that standard.
As before, the appearance of the phrase 是不是 followed by the post-sentence particle 呢 indicates doubt on the part of the speaker and his desire for confirmation. This time, however, his doubt is in regard to the latter of the two measurements.
In effect, the author compares the size 最大 (largest) of the Pacific Ocean 太平洋 with the size 最小 (smallest) of the Atlantic Ocean 大西洋, and his standard for comparison is all oceans 海洋 of the world 世界上.
Note 3: The phrase 世界上 is worth noting and contrasting with the phrase 世界中. To this end a special note has been added under 世界上︱世界中.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1607498
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１０）張先生問他的兒子：「你天天看報紙，你知道紙是誰發明的嗎？」
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Mr. Cheung asked my son, "You read a newspaper every day, but do you know who invented paper?
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is given by Ａ問Ｂ：「Ｃ？」where Ｃis a question posed by Ａto Ｂ.
Important to note here is that Ｂ, the receiver of the question, requires no special grammatical treatment. It is simply sandwiched between the verb 問 and what is asked -- namely, 「Ｃ？」
The placement of the colon and the corner-brackets is also worth noting.
Note 2: Whether one renders this sentence in the past or present tense depends entirely on context. One could translate the phrase 「張先生問他的兒子：．．」 as "Mr. Cheung is asking my son, . . ." or "Mr. Cheung asked my son, . . ."
Note 3: The base pattern of the question is given by 「Ｄ，Ｅ知道Ｆ嗎？」where Ｄserves as an introductory statement to the question 「Ｅ知道Ｆ嗎？」
Part Ｆis an embedded question which forms the basis for the less substantive question 「Ｅ知道Ｆ嗎？」In effect, Mr. Cheung is asking whether the speaker's son knows the answer to Ｆ. Whether Mr. Cheung wants to know the answer to Ｆis a matter of further inquiry, should the speaker's son answer in the manner asked -- namely, "Do you, or don't you know?".
Note 4: The base pattern of the embedded question is given by 「Ｈ是誰Ｇ的（Ｈ）？」where Ｈis the direct object of the verb Ｇ, and the question word 誰 forms the basis of the question. The second occurrence of Ｈ is understood.
This question can be understood best by what would be a reasonable dialogue were the answer to the embedded question also the direct target of enquiry.
Ｑ：紙是誰發明的（紙）呀？
Ａ：紙是埃及人發明的（紙）。
In effect, the phrasing 誰發明的 serves as a relative clause to the understood predicate noun 紙 which is synonymous with the subject 紙.
This construction likely arises from the passive formulation of the question about authorship. In effect, what was invented is more important in the mind of the speaker than who invented it.
Note 5: In this instance, the speaker tells us that Mr. Cheung 張先生 asks 問 his son 他的兒子, if he knows 知道 who 誰 invented 發明 paper 紙? Apparently Mr. Cheung's question is precipiated by his observation that the speaker's son often 天天 (daily) reads 看 a newspaper 報紙.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1610922
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