Chinese grammar / 23 topics
Noun phrases in Chinese grammar
Learn Chinese noun phrases through sentence patterns, rewritten explanations, pinyin and English examples. Browse 23 grammar topics.
是 shì
Say what something is with 是
Introduce a person, identify an object, or say which group something belongs to.
很 hěn
Describe things with 很
Make a neutral description with 很 and an adjective, without adding 是.
以前 yǐqián
Talking About the Past with 以前 (Yǐqián)
Use 以前 for an earlier period in Chinese, placing it before or after the subject to describe former situations, habits, and experiences.
刚才 gāngcái
Just Now in Chinese with 刚才 (Gāngcái)
Use 刚才 as a recent past time expression, place it before or after the subject, and distinguish it from the adverb 刚.
的时候 de shíhou
Saying When with 的时候 (De Shíhou) in Chinese
Attach 的时候 to an action, state, or time phrase to explain when another event occurs, without moving the Chinese time phrase after its noun.
以后 yǐhòu
Later and In the Future with 以后 (Yǐhòu)
Use 以后 for a later period or future situation in Chinese, and recognize that the reference point can come from a past narrative too.
时间词 shíjiān cí
Where Time Words Go in Chinese Sentences
Place Chinese time expressions before or after the subject and before the action, covering words such as yesterday, next month, and now.
一些 yīxiē
Some and A Few with 一些 (Yīxiē) in Chinese
Use 一些 before nouns for unspecified quantities, whether the noun phrase is a subject or object and whether the amount is countable or uncountable.
有的 yǒude
Some of a Group with 有的 (Yǒude) in Chinese
Use 有的 for certain members of a group, omit an understood noun, and repeat the pattern to describe different subsets in Mandarin.
之前、之后 zhīqián, zhīhòu
之前 vs 之后: Saying Before and After in Chinese
Use 之前 and 之后 after events or as independent time expressions, and compare their meaning and usage with 以前 and 以后.
以来 yǐlái
以来 (Yǐlái): Ever Since and Periods Leading Up to Now
Express an ongoing period with 以来 after a starting event, and use 来 after a duration to mean over the past period.
时 shí
时 (Shí): A Concise Way to Say When in Chinese
Use event + 时 for when or during in Chinese, with correct word order and a comparison to the longer 的时候.
后来 hòulái
后来 (Hòulái): Describing What Happened Later
Use 后来 to connect events in a past narrative and distinguish it from expressions used for future plans.
所有 suǒyǒu
所有 (Suǒyǒu): All, All Of, and Not All in Chinese
Build noun phrases with 所有, combine them with 都, and distinguish not all from none when placing the negative.
之一 zhī yī
之一 (Zhī Yī): Saying One Of in Chinese
Use 之一 after a group noun phrase to identify one member, including one of the best and one of the reasons.
另、另外 lìng, lìngwài
另 and 另外: Another, the Other, and the Remaining Ones
Use 另 or 另外 before a quantity phrase to identify another item or the remaining members of a known group.
当中 dāngzhōng
当中 (Dāngzhōng): Among a Group and During a Process
Use 当中 after a group or process to identify membership, comparison within a set, or involvement during an activity.
彼此 bǐcǐ
彼此 (Bǐcǐ): Each Other and Mutual Relationships
Use 彼此 for reciprocal actions and shared relationships, as a participant, object, or modifier with 的.
当…的时候 dāng…de shíhou
当…的时候: Framing When Something Happens in Chinese
Use 当 to introduce a time clause, with 的时候 or 时 when appropriate, for occasions, states, and recurring reactions.
其中 qízhōng
其中 (Qízhōng): Among Them, Of Which, and Within a Set
Refer back to an established group with 其中 to identify a subset, a particular member, or an item standing out from the rest.
这个 zhège
这个 After a Person or Name: Labels and Emphatic Topics
Recognize person + 这个 + label for emphatic judgments, and compare neutral topic descriptions with 这种 or 这类.
本 běn
本 (Běn): This, Our, or the Current in Formal Chinese
Use 本 before an institution, place, period, or occasion to refer to the current or speaker-associated one in formal writing.
性 xìng
性 (Xìng): Form Words for Properties and Characteristics
Understand the suffix 性 in words for qualities, possibilities, and types, and learn why it cannot be attached to every word.