Lessons 1, 7, 8: Resultative complements: 在 · 着(zháo) · 好 · 成 and review of other complements

A resultative complement goes right after the verb to state the result of the action; the textbook explains 在, 着(zháo), 好, 成.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 3 · Lesson 1 · Hanyu 3 · Lesson 7 · Hanyu 3 · Lesson 8

我的词典你放在哪儿了？

Wǒ de cídiǎn nǐ fàng zài nǎr le?

Where did you put my dictionary?

Explanation

A resultative complement is an element placed right after the verb that tells the result of the action. The textbook explains four complements:

在

shows that through the action a person or thing ends up in some place; the object is a place word (放在, 挂在).

着(zháo)

shows that the purpose of the action has been achieved or has produced a result (买着, 找着, 睡着).

好

shows that the action is completed and reached a perfect level, satisfying people (洗好, 商量好).

成

shows that the action is completed and its purpose achieved; something changes or produces a result because of the action (including a wrong result) (翻译成, 写成).

The textbook's exercises also review other complements such as 完, 懂, 见, 到, 给, 清楚, 破, 干净.

Structure

1
动词在处所词语
The object is a place word.
- 我的词典你放在哪儿了？
  Wǒ de cídiǎn nǐ fàng zài nǎr le?
  Where did you put my dictionary?
- A：我的护照你放在哪儿了？ B：就放在你的口袋里了。
  A: Wǒ de hùzhào nǐ fàng zài nǎr le? B: Jiù fàng zài nǐ de kǒudai li le.
  A: Where did you put my passport? B: I put it in your bag.
- A：这张画我们挂在哪儿呢？ B：挂在这儿吧。
  A: Zhè zhāng huà wǒmen guà zài nǎr ne? B: Guà zài zhèr ba.
  A: Where shall we hang this picture? B: Hang it here.
- A：今天的报你放在哪儿了？ B：放在那个房间里了。
  A: Jīntiān de bào nǐ fàng zài nǎr le? B: Fàng zài nàge fángjiān li le.
  A: Where did you put today's newspaper? B: I put it in that room.
2
动词着(zháo)
The purpose of the action has been achieved or has produced a result.
- 你要的那本书我给你买着了。
  Nǐ yào de nà běn shū wǒ gěi nǐ mǎizháo le.
  I managed to buy the book you wanted.
- 我的护照你给我找着了没有？
  Wǒ de hùzhào nǐ gěi wǒ zhǎozháo le méiyǒu?
  Have you found my passport for me?
- 你睡着了吗？
  Nǐ shuìzháo le ma?
  Are you asleep?
- A：我的护照你找着了没有？ B：找着了。
  A: Wǒ de hùzhào nǐ zhǎozháo le méiyǒu? B: Zhǎozháo le.
  A: Have you found my passport? B: Yes, I found it.
3
动词好
The action is completed and reached a perfect level, satisfying people.
- 你的衣服洗好了吗？
  Nǐ de yīfu xǐhǎo le ma?
  Have your clothes been washed?
- 昨天晚上我没有睡好。
  Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ méiyǒu shuìhǎo.
  I didn't sleep well last night.
- 我跟老板商量好了。
  Wǒ gēn lǎobǎn shāngliang hǎo le.
  I've finished discussing it with the boss.
4
动词成
The action is completed and its purpose achieved; something changes or produces a result (including a wrong result) because of the action.
- A：最后去成了吗？ B：去成了。
  A: Zuìhòu qùchéng le ma? B: Qùchéng le.
  A: Can we finally go? B: Yes, we're ready to go.
- 这篇故事他翻译成了英语。
  Zhè piān gùshi tā fānyì chéng le Yīngyǔ.
  He has translated this story into English.
- 这个“我”字你写成“找”字了。
  Zhège “wǒ” zì nǐ xiěchéng “zhǎo” zì le.
  You wrote the character “我” as “找”.
- 这座大楼是什么时候建成的？
  Zhè zuò dàlóu shì shénme shíhou jiànchéng de?
  When was this building finished?
5
Ôn: 动词到 / 懂 / 见 / 完 / 清楚 / 给
Taken from the textbook's examples and exercises (Lessons 1, 7, 8).
- 这课课文有点儿难，我没有看懂。
  Zhè kè kèwén yǒudiǎnr nán, wǒ méiyǒu kàndǒng.
  This text is a bit hard; I haven't understood it.
- 昨天晚上，我工作到十点。
  Zuótiān wǎnshang, wǒ gōngzuò dào shí diǎn.
  Last night I worked until ten o'clock.
- 我打算在这儿学习到明年七月。
  Wǒ dǎsuàn zài zhèr xuéxí dào míngnián qīyuè.
  I plan to study here until next July.
- 我一下飞机就看见了爸爸。
  Wǒ yí xià fēijī jiù kànjiàn le bàba.
  I saw my father as soon as I got off the plane.

Common mistakes

~~昨天晚上，我到十点工作~~
昨天晚上，我工作到十点
~~我打算在这儿到明年七月学习~~
我打算在这儿学习到明年七月
~~我没记住在本子上~~
我没记在本子上
~~我下了飞机就看了爸爸~~
我一下飞机就看见了爸爸
*她现在已经能听见老师的话了 (meaning to understand) → 她现在已经能听懂老师的话了。
~~那本书我找了很长时间也不找到~~
那本书找了很长时间也没找到
use 没 to negate a result that has already occurred
~~黑板上的字你看见清楚了吗~~
黑板上的字你看清楚了吗？

Practice

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