AcTIOn verbS
13.513.5.2 Open-ended action verbs and obligatory objects
Open-ended action verbs are typically followed by an obligatory object, a noun phrase that
serves as the direct object of the verb. Many open-ended action verbs have a default object, an
object that automatically occurs with the verb.Default objects contribute little or no meaning to the verb + object phrase and are typically not
translated into English.Open-ended
action verbDefault
objectVerb + object Example sentence说 话 说话 他们在说话呢。
說 話 說話 他們在說話呢。
shuō huà shuō huà Tāmen zài shuō huà ne.
speak speech speak They are speaking.
看 书 看书 我喜欢看书。
書 看書 我喜歡看書。
kàn shū kàn shū Wǒ xǐhuan kàn shū.
read book read I like to read.
吃 饭 吃饭 我们吃饭吧！
飯 吃飯 我們吃飯吧！
chī fàn chī fàn Wǒmen chī fàn ba!
eat rice eat Let’s eat!
写 字 写字 他不会写字。
寫 寫字 他不會寫字。
xiě zì xiě zì Tā bù huì xiě zì.
write character write He can’t write.
画 画儿 画画儿 他会画画儿。
畫 畫兒 畫畫兒 他會畫畫兒。
huà huàr huà huàr Tā huì huà huàr.
paint picture paint He can paint.
唱 歌儿 唱歌儿 他周末跟朋友唱歌儿。
歌兒 唱歌兒 他週末跟朋友唱歌兒。
chàng gēr chàng gēr Tā zhōumò gēn péngyou chàng gēr.
sing song sing He sings with friends at the weekend.
洗 澡 洗澡 孩子不喜欢洗澡。
孩子不喜歡洗澡。
xǐ zǎo xǐ zǎo Háizi bù xǐhuan xǐ zǎo.
wash bathe wash; bathe Children do not like to bathe.
睡 觉 睡觉 你几点钟睡觉？
覺 睡覺 你幾點鐘睡覺？
shuì jiào shuì jiào Nǐ jǐdiǎn zhōng shuì jiào?
sleep a sleep sleep What time do you go to sleep?When an object with fuller meaning is used, it replaces the default object.For example:- ‘to eat’ is 吃饭/吃飯 chī fàn
‘to eat dumplings’ is 吃饺子/吃餃子 chī jiǎozi and not
*吃饭饺子/吃飯餃子 chī fàn jiǎozi. - ‘to write’ is 写字/寫字 xiě zì
‘to write English’ is 写英文/寫英文 xiě Yīngwén and not
*写字英文/寫字英文 xiě zì Yīngwén