Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

expressing existence

29.3

昨天晚上没有雾。

昨天晚上沒有霧。

Zuótiān wǎnshang méi yǒu wù.

There was no fog last night.

C27.1.2

29.3.2 the verb 是 shì ‘to express existence’

是 shì can be used to express the existence of some object at a location. 是 shì is often used

in this way when the object fills the location.

我们房子的屋顶上都是雪。

我們房子的屋頂上都是雪。

Wǒmen fángzi de wūdǐng shàng dōu shì xuě.

The roof of our house was covered with snow.

地上都是玩具。

Dì shàng dōu shì wánjù.

Toys are all over the floor.

29.3.3 expressing existence with change-of-state placement verbs

Change-of-state verbs that refer to placement, such as 站 zhàn ‘to stand,’ 坐 zuò ‘to sit,’ 放 fàng

‘to put, to place,’ 躺 tǎng ‘to lie,’ etc. are often used in sentences that refer to existence. In

these ‘existential’ sentences the verbs of placement are usually followed by the verb suffix

着/著 zhe to emphasize the ongoing duration of the situation.

街上站着很多人。

街上站著很多人。

Jiēshang zhànzhe hěn duō rén.

There are a lot of people standing in the street.

公共汽车上坐着很多人。

公共汽車上坐著很多人。

Gōnggòng qìchē shàng zuòzhe hěn duō rén.

There are a lot of people sitting on the bus.

书桌上放着一瓶花。

書桌上放著一瓶花。

Shūzhuō shàng fàngzhe yī píng huā.

There is a vase of flowers on the desk.

C17.2.2, 34.4, 39.2