3 Structures to Soften the Tone in Chinese

by | Aug 5, 2022 | Chinese Language

3 Structures to Soften the Tone in Chinese

Useful Structures to Soften the tone in Chinese

Many Chinese learners have come across the word “一下” (yī xià), the meaning of which is a bit vague. Consequently, some students find it hard to grasp the use of this word. In this article, let’s take a close look at “verb + 一下 (yī xià)” and two other relative structures that can be used to soften the tone in Chinese.

Chinese | 3 Structures to Soften the Tone in Chinese

1. Verb + 一下 (yī xià)

This structure refers to a certain action that doesn’t last long, and it could be translated as “to do a bit of something”. The most common phrases that you may hear in Chinese people’s daily lives are 看一下 (kàn yī xià) – have a look and 等一下 (děng yī xià) – wait a minute.

Another important functions of “verb” + 一下 (yī xià) is that it can make you sound less “aggressive”. Let’s take a look at the following examples to help you better understand the use of this structure:

EXAMPLE:

我可以看一下你的书吗?
Wǒ kěyǐ kàn yī xià nǐ de shū ma?
Can I take a look at your book?

As you’re asking someone to show you his or her book, you certainly would like your question to sound polite.

EXAMPLE:

我想问一下这是什么。
Wǒ xiǎng wèn yī xià zhè shì shénme.
I’d like to ask what this is.

Although you’re just asking a casual question, you still want to ask it in a courteous way.

2. Verb + Verb

This structure can be considered identical to “verb + 一下 (yī xià)” in terms of their meanings and functions. Therefore, they’re interchangeable in most situations. Nevertheless, “verb + verb” also implies doing something in a relaxed atmosphere.

EXAMPLE:

下午我喜欢听听音乐。
Xiàwǔ wǒ xǐhuān tīng tīng yīnyuè.
In the afternoon I like listening to some music.

EXAMPLE:

我今天打算收拾收拾房间。
Wǒ jīntiān dǎsuàn shōushí shōushí fángjiān.
I plan to clean my room today.

VOCABULARY:

打算
dǎsuàn
plan to…

收拾
shōushí
to clean, to tidy up

3. Verb + 一 (Yī) + Verb

The two structures explained above can be replaced by verb + 一 (yī) + verb in most cases. However, this structure can only be applied to verbs that contain one character. For instance, “准备” (zhǔnbèi) means “to prepare”. Since it contains two characters, verb + 一 (yī) + verb” cannot be used when you would like to say “to prepare a bit”.

EXAMPLE:

我们可以聊一聊中国文化。
Wǒmen kěyǐ liáo yī liáo Zhōngguó wénhuà.
We can have a chat about Chinese culture.

VOCABULARY:


liáo
to chat

文化
wénhuà
culture

To find out more interesting and useful Chinese vocabulary, check out one of our blog posts 5 Ways to Eat in Chinese: Takeouts, Dine-in and More

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

Other posts you might like

10 Popular Types of Sports in Chinese

10 Popular Types of Sports in Chinese

The Most Common Types of Sports in ChinesePhysical exercise plays a tremendous role in Chinese people’s lives. As the so-called “western lifestyle” has penetrated into young people’s daily lives in China, many of them try to find time to go to the gym after work. In...

5 Popular Chinese Character Tattoos

5 Popular Chinese Character Tattoos

The Most Popular Chinese Character TattoosAcquiring a tattoo has become a global trend. People get tattoos for various reasons, and some of them hold a view that a specific tattoo is the reflection of their life values. Meanwhile, Chinese characters (especially...

5 Structures For Past Tense in Chinese

5 Structures For Past Tense in Chinese

The Most Useful Structures For Past Tense in Chinese Tenses in Chinese often give Chinese learners headaches. We talked about the future tense in one of our previous blog articles. Obviously, the past tense is another essential aspect during Chinese learning. Today...

Get 2-week FREE
Chinese Classes

Original Price: ¥600

Get 2-week FREE Chinese Classes

Original Price: ¥600
LEARN MORE
Share This
Thats Mandarin Logo
Live chat
Wechat Logo
WeChat
Wechat QR Code Scan the code to chat with our Course Consultant
Chat icon
Chat
Chat with us
WeChat
Thats Mandarin QR Code
Take a screenshot and use WeChat to scan the QR code
Chat Chat with our Course Consultant