Language/Mandarin-chinese/Grammar/Separable-verbs

What are verb-object phrases?

Hello everybody!

In today's lesson, we will teach you how to use certain kinds of verbs that still need a complement.

“Separable words”(離合詞/离合词, líhécí) or “separable verbs”(離合動詞/离合动词, líhédòngcí) get their name from their ability to "separate" into two parts (mainly a verb part and an object part), with other words in between. In fact, you could also simply call separable verbs "verb-object phrases". Some linguistics consider a “verb-object phrase” as two words, some consider it as a phrase, the other consider in both ways.

Feel free to edit this wiki page, if you think it can be improved.

Rules

If the verb 說/说 (shuō) "to speak" is followed by a complement, it is used alone:

• 我說漢語。/我说汉语。 (Wǒ shuō hànyǔ.)

I speak Chinese.

But if we simply mean “speak”, we must add a “standard complement”: 話/话 (huà).

To say “He speaks”, we have to use 他說話。/他说话。 (Tā shuō huà.) and not simply 他說。/他说。 (Tā shuō.).

We also have already seen “write” 寫/写 (xiě) which requires the standard complement 字 (zì):

• 她寫字。/她写字。 (Tā xiě zì.)

She writes.

Attention, it is absolutely necessary to remove the standard complement when another complement is specified.

The following sentence is therefore false: 他說話漢語/他说话汉语。 (Tā shuō huà hànyǔ.)

A verb-object may be heard alone, but in this case the complement is implied:

• （漢語）我會說，不會寫。/（汉语）我会说，不会写。 [(Hànyǔ) wǒ huì shuō, bú huì xiě]

(Chinese) I can speak it, but not write it.

Special words between separable words

The following special words can be inserted between separable words:

1. 了 (le);
2. 著/着 (zhe);
3. 過/过 (guò);
4. 不 (bù);
5. 得 (de);
6. result complement (e.g. 好, 起);
7. classifier (e.g. 個/个, 節/节).

3 categories

Separable words can be classified into 3 categories:

1. verb and object, e.g. 上課/上课, 開車/开车, only 了, 著/着, 過/过, result complement, classifier, 了 + classifier, 著/着 + classifier (rare), 不 + result complement, 得 + result complement can be inserted, letting alone attributes of the object;
2. verb and result complement, e.g. 看見/看见, 撥動/拨动, only 不, 得 can be inserted;
3. verb and directional verb, e.g. 出來/出来, 分開/分开, only 不, 得, can be inserted.

Examples

• 我上了節課。/我上了节课。 (Wǒ shàng le jié kè.)

I went to class.

• 我上了節有趣的課。/我上了节有趣的课。 (Wǒ shàng le jié yǒuqùde kè.)

I went to an interesting class.

• 我睡不好覺。/我睡不好覺。 (Wǒ shuì bì hǎo jiào.)

I can't sleep well.

• 我開起車來。/我开起车来。 (Wǒ kāi qǐ chē lái.)

I started driving.

• 我看得見。/我看得见。 (Wǒ kàn de jiàn.)

I can see it.

• 我出不來。/我出不来。 (Wǒ chū bù lái.)

I can't get out.

Some Common Separable Words

In dictionaries, separable words are noted with “//” between their pinyin.

Chinese	Pinyin (dictionary form)	Translation
上課/上课	shàng//kè	to have a class
住院	zhù//yuàn	to be hospitalised
發燒/发烧	fā//shāo	to get a fever
吃飯/吃饭	chī//fàn	to eat
開學/开学	kāi//xué	to start a new term of school
開車/开车	kāi//chē	to drive
打的	dǎ//dī	to get a taxi
游泳	yóu//yǒng	to swim
看病	kàn//bìng	to see a doctor
睡覺/睡觉	shuì//jiào	to sleep
聊天	liáo//tiān	to chat
說話/说话	shuō//huà	to speak
起床	qǐ//chuáng	to get up

Sources

https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Separable_verb

http://www.chine-culture.com/chinois/cours-de-chinois-6-grammaire.php

https://mandarinfriend.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/separable-verbs-a-misleading-concept-for-chinese-learners/