Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

exPreSSiNG ideNtiFiCatioN, PoSSeSSioN, aNd exiSteNCe

29.3

29.2.3 expressing possession in formal written Chinese

属于/屬於 shǔyú ‘belong to, be affiliated with’

这个幼儿园是属于北京大学的。

這個幼兒園是屬於北京大學的。

Zhège yòu’éryuán shì shǔyú Běijīng Dàxué de.

This kindergarten is affiliated with Beijing University.

之 zhī

之 zhī is the formal written equivalent of 的 de, used in literary Chinese texts. Like 的 de,

it occurs after the possessor and before the possessed noun.

钟鼓之声

鐘鼓之聲

zhōnggǔ zhī shēng

the sound of bells and drums

C9.6

29.3 Expressing existence

There are three verbs that are commonly used to express existence.

29.3.1 有 yIu ‘to exist’

In addition to its use in expressing possession, the verb 有 yǒu is also used to express existence.

昨天晚上有很大的雾。

昨天晚上有很大的霧。

Zuótiān wǎnshang yǒu hěn dà de wù.

Last night there was a very dense fog.

附近有三个旅馆。

附近有三個旅館。

Fùjìn yǒu sān gè lǘguǎn.

There are three hotels nearby.

To ask about existence, use the question form 有没有/有沒有 yǒu méi yǒu or the yes–no

question marker 吗/嗎 ma.

附近有没有旅馆？

附近有沒有旅館？

Fùjìn yǒu méi yǒu lǘguǎn?

Is there a hotel nearby?

昨天晚上有雾吗？

昨天晚上有霧嗎？

Zuótiān wǎnshang yǒu wù ma?

Was there fog last night? (Was it foggy last night?)

C28.1

To give a negative reply, say 没有/沒有 méi yǒu.

附近没有旅馆。

附近沒有旅館。

Fùjìn méi yǒu lǘguǎn.

There is no hotel nearby.