Learn useful expressions in Chinese such as thank you, you're welcome, sorry and it's okay. And get to know the Complement 不起.
buqǐ 不起 a complement suggesting "not up to standard"
A bǔyǔ 补语 Complement in Chinese can be a word or a group of words. It usually goes after the verb, sometimes after an adjective as well. Usually a complement is there to help suggest the result, direction, possibility or state of an action. In this lesson we'll learn one common Complement 不起. It is used after a verb to suggest "not up to standard". For example in the phrase 对不起, one of the most useful expressions in Chinese, which means sorry, 不起 functions as the 补语 Complement of the verb 对. Here are more examples of how to use the Complement 不起 in phrases.
V | COMPLEMENT | |
1 | duì 对 to treat |
buqǐ 不起 not up to standard |
sorry (I am not treating you like how I am supposed to) | ||
2 | kàn 看 to look at |
buqǐ 不起 not up to standard |
to look down upon someone (to look at someone not like how they are supposed to be looked at) | ||
3 | mǎi 买 to buy |
buqǐ 不起 not up to standard |
to not be able to afford something |
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