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Detachable Compound 离合词 in Chinese - Dummy Objects | Double Objects

In today's video lesson we’ll learn how to say Ordinal numbers in Chinese and know about Double Objects in Chinese. Most importantly, we'll learn about the grammar of Detachable Compound 离合词 in Chinese and Dummy Objects.

  • Ordinal numbers in Chinese
  • Detachable Compound 离合词 in Chinese - Dummy Objects
  • Double Objects in Chinese

VOCABULARY


GRAMMAR


Grammar 1: Ordinal numbers in Chinese · HSK 2

It is very easy to say ordinal numbers in Chinese, we just follow this structure:

 + number

Ordinal dì yī
第一
No. 1
the first
dì 'èr
第二
No. 2
the second
dì sān
第三
No. 3
the third
…… dì shí
第十
No. 10
the 10th
Cardinal

one
èr

two
sān

three
…… shí

ten

When we want to say the first, second, or third plus something, we need to use this structure:

 + number + Measure Word+ Noun (Phrase)

For example,

  • tā shì wǒ de dì yī ge nánpéngyǒu
    他是我的第一个男朋友。
    He is my first boyfriend.
  • dì sān jiān jiàoshì shì wǒmen de
    第三间教室是我们的。
    The third classroom is ours.

Grammar 2: Detachable Compound 离合词 in Chinese - Dummy Objects · HSK 2

Detachable Compound in Chinese is 离合词 (líhécí, apart-combine-word ). A Detachable Compound can be considered as (1) a verb, which it a word, and (2) a Verb-Object Phrase.

We have learned some Detachable Compounds already and today we have some more:

as Verb

as Verb-Object Phrase

kāi chē
开车
drive-vehicle: to drive in general
kāi shénme chē
开什么车
to drive what vehicle
xiě zì
写字
drive-character: to
write in general
xiě Yīngwén zì
写英文字
to write English words
shuō huà
说话
talk-speech: to
talk in general
shuō bù hǎotīng de huà
说不好听的话
to say non-good-sounding words
shui jiào
睡觉
sleep-sleep: to
sleep in general
shuì yíge jiào
睡一个觉
to sleep one nap
shàng kè
上课
attend-class: to
take or give classes in general
shàng xià wǔ de kè
上下午的课
to  take/give afternoon's class
shēng bìng
生病
generate-sickness: to get sick in general
shēng liǎng cì bìng
生两次病
to get sickness (for) twice
kàn shū
看书
read-book: to read books in general
kàn nà běn shū
看那本书
to read that "ben" (of) book
xǐ zǎo
洗澡
wash-bath: to bathe or to shower in general
xǐ lěngshuǐ zǎo
洗冷水澡
to wash cold-water shower
huà huà
画画
paint-painting: to paint or draw in general
huà yìfú huà
画一幅画
to paint one "fu" (of) painting
pǎo bù
跑步
run-step: to run or jog in general
pǎo liǎngge xiǎoshí de bù
跑两个小时的步
to run two hours' steps; to run for two hours

 

In these Detachable Compounds, the object in it is just there to represent a general concept of conducting this action, and because of this, we can call these objects “Dummy Objects”. But once we have to express a specific meaning, like to drive a certain vehicle, to eat a certain type of food, the “Dummy Object” has to be detached from the Compound and be replaced with a specific Object.

For example,

Verb-Dummy Object

Verb + Specific Object

kāi chē
开车
drive-vehicle: to drive in general
kāi fēijī
开飞机
to "drive" airplane
xiě zì
写字
drive-character: to
write in general
xiě nǐde míngzi
写你的名字
to write your name
shuō huà
说话
talk-speech: to
talk in general
shuō shénme
说什么
to say what
shui jiào
睡觉
sleep-sleep: to
sleep in general
shuì zhèlǐ
睡这里
to sleep here
huà huà
画画
paint-painting: to paint or draw in general
huà māo hé gǒu
画猫和狗
to draw cats and dogs

 

Grammar 3: Double Objects in Chinese · HSK 2

Sometimes in one sentences, the Verb Predicate might have two Objects. This is called Double Objects in Chinese, 双宾语(shuāng bīn yǔ, double-object).

For example,

SUBJECT

VERB PREDICATE

OBJECT 1

OBJECT 2

 



he
gěi le
给了
gave


me
yí ge xīguā
一个西瓜
one watermelon


I
sòng le
送了
gave (as present)


him
yí ge lǐwù
一个礼物
one gift

 

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