reSuLTATIve verbS
18.7
- 不定 budìng. This suffix only occurs in the negative potential form. It is most commonly used
as a suffix for the verb 说/說 shuō ‘say.’ 说不定 shuōbudìng means ‘unable to say for sure,
perhaps, possibly.’
太晚了，说不定他今天不会来了。
太晚了，說不定他今天不會來了。
Tài wǎnle, shuōbudìng tā jīntiān bù huì lái le.
It’s too late, perhaps he won’t come today.
- 得动/動 dedòng ‘able to move’/-不动/動 budòng ‘unable to move’
他的行李太重了，一个人拿不动。
他的行李太重了，一個人拿不動。
Tā de xíngli tài zhòng le, yīge rén nábudòng.
His suitcase is too heavy. One person can’t lift it all by himself.
这个汽车这么重，他推得动推不动？
這個汽車這麽重，他推得動推不動？
Zhège qìchē zhème zhòng, tā tuīdedòng tuībudòng?
This car is so heavy. Can he move it (by pushing)?
这块牛肉太老了，我咬不动。
這塊牛肉太老了，我咬不動。
Zhèi kuài niúròu tài lǎo le, wǒ yǎobudòng.
This piece of beef is too tough. I cannot chew it.
18.7 Resultative suffixes with figurative or idiomatic meaning
Some resultative suffixes have figurative or idiomatic meanings. Here are some examples. Notice
that sentences with these resultative suffixes typically end with 了 le.
- 死 sǐ ‘extremely, terribly, to death’
忙死 mángsǐ ‘busy to death’
貴死 guìsǐ ‘so expensive it would put one in the grave’
累死 lèisǐ ‘dead tired’
饿死/餓死 èsǐ ‘starving to death’
笑死 xiàosǐ ‘die laughing’
穷死/窮死 qióngsǐ ‘dead broke’
急死 jísǐ ‘worry to death’
吓死/嚇死 xiàsǐ ‘frightened to death, scared to death’
这几天把我忙死了。
這幾天把我忙死了。
Zhèi jǐ tiān bǎ wǒ mángsǐ le.
I've been worked to death these past few days.
那个电影真可笑，把我笑死了。
那個電影真可笑，把我笑死了。
Nàge diànyǐng zhēn kěxiào, bǎ wǒ xiàosǐ le.
That movie was very funny. I could have died laughing.
- 坏/壞 huài ‘bad, badly, terribly.’ When 坏/壞 huài is used as a resultative suffix, the sentence
typically ends with 了 le.
吓坏/嚇壞 xiàhuài ‘terrified’
累坏/壞 lèihuài ‘dog-tired’
饿坏/餓壞 èhuài ‘starving’
乐坏/樂壞 lèhuài ‘wild with joy’
气坏/氣壞 qìhuài ‘very angry’
