How To Use Chinese Separable Verbs

Definition

In Chinese, many verbs use a variety of nouns as objects. For example, 洗 (xǐ, to wash) can become 洗脸 (xǐ liǎn, to wash the face), 洗脚 (xǐ jiǎo, to wash feet), 洗手 (xǐ shǒu, to wash hands), etc. Between the verb and its object, you can insert certain elements, such as a measure word: 洗一会儿脚 (xǐ yīhuǐr jiǎo, to wash feet for a moment).

However, certain verbs and their objects, such as 洗澡 (xǐ zǎo, to take a bath), are often used together and therefore become disyllabic verbs. For these types of disyllabic verbs, you can still insert certain elements between the two characters. We call them 离合动词 (lí hé dòng cí) or separable verbs.

Explanation

It is important to distinguish separable verbs from the rest of disyllabic verbs because disyllabic verbs in general are not separable. For example, you can't insert anything between the two characters in 同意 (tóngyì, to consent) or 喜欢 (xǐhuān, to like). Additionally, separable verbs cannot take an object because its composition already involves a verb-object relationship.

The two characters of separable verbs all involve a verb-object relationship, but the exact nature of that relationship may vary. For example, 考试 (kǎo shì, to test) is a separable verb and doesn’t take an object. However, the single character word 考 (kǎo, to test) also means to test and it can take an object, such as in 靠算数 (kǎo suàn shù, to take a math test). In the case of 跳舞 (tiào wǔ, to dance), 跳 (tiào) means “to jump,” and 舞 (wǔ) is a noun meaning “dance.” The two characters together make up the verb “to dance.” However, 跳 (tiào) used by itself cannot convey the idea of dancing.

Some examples:

• 你是在 (生) 我的 (气) 吗？Nǐ shì zài shēng wǒ de qì ma? Are you mad at me?
• 他今天 (倒) 了大 (霉) 了。Tā jīntiān dǎo le dà méi le. He had bad luck today.
• 你真 (帮) 了我们大 (忙) 了。Nǐ zhēn bāng le wǒmén dà máng le. You really helped me a lot.
• 他 (撒) 了个弥天大 (谎) 。Tā sā le gè mí tiān dà huǎng. He told a monstrous lie.

Not all disyllabic verbs that involve verb-object relationships are separable verbs. However, the number of separable verbs is quite large. Here are some of them:

• 安心 - ān xīn - to be at ease
• 报仇 - bào chóu - to get revenge
• 帮忙 - bāng máng - to help
• 操心 - cāo xīn - to worry
• 唱歌 - chàng gē - to sing
• 出事 - chū shì - to have an accident
• 吹牛 - chuī niú - to brag
• 打架 - dǎ jià - to fight
• 倒霉 - dǎo méi - to be unlucky
• 丢人 - diú rén - to be disgraced
• 结婚 - jié hūn - to get married
• 鞠躬 - jū gōng - to bow
• 闹事 - nào shì - to make trouble
• 撒谎 - sā huǎng - to tell a lie
• 生气 - shēng qì - to get angry
• 睡觉 - shuì jiào - to sleep
• 提醒 - tí xǐng - to remind
• 游泳 - yóu yǒng - to swim

How do you distinguish them?

VRC is a syntax structure consisting of a verb and its resultative complement.

Among the three types above, an independent element can be inserted such as 着, 了, 过, 得, or 不 to create a resultative complement, directional verb, attribute, etc. They all count as separable verbs.

• 着 (zhe) means a sustained action or condition.
• 了 (le) means the action is finished.
• 过 (guò) means already.
• 得 (dé) means to be able to.
• 不 (bù) means impossible to achieve results.

For example, after the word 洗澡 (xǐ zǎo, to take a bath), you can add 着, 了, or 过 to create:

• 洗着澡 (taking a bath)
• 洗了澡 (took a bath)
• 洗过澡 (after the bath)

洗澡 (xǐ zǎo, to take a bath) can also take resultative complements and directional verbs such as 洗好了澡 (xǐ hǎo le zǎo, finished a bath) or 洗起澡来了 (xǐ qǐ zǎo lái le, taking a bath). Furthermore, 澡 plus an adjective or a number can also be added in front of the noun. This can be seen in 洗凉水澡 (xǐ liángshuǐ zǎo, to take a cool bath) and 洗一个澡 (xǐ yīgè zǎo, to take a shower).

What about the collocation of separable verbs?

Predicative-object separable verbs (with examples)

VRC separable verbs: inserting possible complements

For example:

• 碰不见 (pèng bú jiàn) - to not meet.
• 看不懂 (kàn bù dǒng) - to not be able to read.
• 达不到 (dá bú dào) - to not be able to achieve it.

Dynamic trend separable verbs: inserting possible complements such as 得 (dé) or 不(bù)

For example:

• 出得来 (chū dé lái) - to be able to get out.
• 出不来 (chū bù lái) - to be unable to get out.
• 分得开 (fēn dé kāi) - to be able to be separated.
• 分不开 (fēn bù kāi) - to be unable to be separated.

A Note about Separable Verbs

It is important to note that separable verbs vary in the ways that they can be separated and the extent to which they can be separated. Some can be more freely separated than others. In this case, usage is largely idiomatic. For example:

Correct: 他道了几次歉。Tā dào le jǐ cì qiàn - He apologized several times.

Awkward: 他道了几次谢。Tā dào le jǐ cì xiè - He expressed thanks several times.

Awkward: 他道了几次喜。Tā dào le jǐ cì xǐ - He expressed congratulations several times.

道歉 (dào qiàn, to apologize) is a separable verb. One may say 到了几次歉 (dào le jǐ cì qiàn), but many people would find it awkward to say 道了几次谢 (dào le jǐ cì xiè) or 道了几次喜 (dào le jǐ cì xǐ). However, one may say 道什么谢 (dào shénme xiè, no need to thank) and 道什么喜 (dào shénme xǐ, nothing to congratulate about). The usage of separable verbs is highly idiomatic. You will need to memorize them individually.

A Useful Book

This book will help you better understand separable verbs:

• Modern Chinese Separable Verbs Dictionary (Xiàndài hànyǔ líhécí yòngfǎ cídiǎn)

Disclaimer: The definitions and classification of separable verbs are from the Modern Chinese Grammar Dictionary. The examples used are my own.

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