以后/后来 · 曾经/已经 · 终于/到底 · 立刻/马上 · 每/各 · 十分/非常

yǐhòu/hòulái · céngjīng/yǐjīng · zhōngyú/dàodǐ · lìkè/mǎshàng · měi/gè · shífēn/fēicháng

Lessons 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11: Distinguishing near-synonym pairs

A roundup of word pairs the textbook compares directly, with exercises on choosing between the two words according to context.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 1 · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 2 · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 5 · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 8 · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 9 · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 10 · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 11

我弟弟马上就要毕业了。

Wǒ dìdi mǎshàng jiù yào bìyè le.

My younger brother is about to graduate.

Explanation

以后 – 后来

以后 can follow a noun, verb or clause, and refers to the past as well as the future; 后来 is used on its own and refers only to the past.

曾经 – 已经

曾经 refers to an action or situation that happened long ago and has now ended; 已经 expresses that something ended not long ago, and the action or situation may still be continuing.

终于 – 到底

终于 is often used in writing, while 到底 is used in both writing and speech; 到底 before a verb or verb phrase must go with 了, whereas 终于 may or may not have 了. 到底 can be used in questions, but 终于 cannot.

立刻 – 马上

立刻 expresses that the action happens faster than with 马上; the pattern 马上就要……了 cannot be replaced with 立刻.

每 – 各

both refer to all the individuals, but 每 points to each one separately (distributive), while 各 refers to them generally (all-inclusive). 各 can go directly before certain nouns (各国, 各班), whereas 每 must be followed by a measure word before a noun (每个国家); 各 combines with only a few measure words, while 每 can combine with any measure word.

非常 – 十分

十分 is mostly used in writing and means the same as 很 or 非常. 非常 can be reduplicated in speech, 十分 cannot; 不 can be put before 十分 to express a somewhat lower degree, but not before 非常.

The exercises (choose one of two words) in the textbook also drill pairs such as 打算/愿意/考虑, 改变/变, 心爱/热爱, 突然/忽然, 表示/表达, 听说/打听; the textbook gives no separate explanation, and the answers are inferred from the context of the sentence.

Structure

1
以后 / 后来
以后: past or future; 后来: past only, used on its own.
- 我们俩毕业以后，就再没见过面。
  Wǒmen liǎ bìyè yǐhòu, jiù zài méi jiàn guo miàn.
  After the two of us graduated, we never saw each other again.
- 来中国以后，我就住在他家。
  Lái Zhōngguó yǐhòu, wǒ jiù zhù zài tā jiā.
  After coming to China, I stayed at his home.
- 我们俩去年在一个班学习，后来（以后）她就回国了。
  Wǒmen liǎ qùnián zài yí ge bān xuéxí, hòulái (yǐhòu) tā jiù huíguó le.
  Last year the two of us were in the same class; later she went back to her country.
2
曾经 / 已经
曾经: now over; 已经: already completed, may still be continuing.
- 他曾经当过中学老师。
  Tā céngjīng dāng guo zhōngxué lǎoshī.
  He used to be a middle-school teacher. (No longer.)
- 他已经当了中学老师。
  Tā yǐjīng dāng le zhōngxué lǎoshī.
  He has become a middle-school teacher. (Still is.)
3
终于 / 到底
到底 can be used in questions; 终于 cannot.
- 问题到底解决了。
  Wèntí dàodǐ jiějué le.
  The last problem was finally solved.
- 明天你到底来不来？
  Míngtiān nǐ dàodǐ lái bu lái?
  Are you coming tomorrow or not, after all?
- 他到底是哪国人？
  Tā dàodǐ shì nǎ guó rén?
  What country is he from, exactly?
4
立刻 / 马上
立刻 expresses a shorter time before the event happens than 马上 does; 马上就要……了 cannot be replaced with 立刻.
- 我下了课就立刻去医院看你。
  Wǒ xià le kè jiù lìkè qù yīyuàn kàn nǐ.
  I went to the hospital to see my friend right after class.
- 我下了课就马上去医院看你。
  Wǒ xià le kè jiù mǎshàng qù yīyuàn kàn nǐ.
  I went straight to the hospital to see my friend after class.
- 我弟弟马上就要毕业了。
  Wǒ dìdi mǎshàng jiù yào bìyè le.
  My younger brother is about to graduate.
5
每 / 各
每 takes a measure word and refers to each one; 各 goes directly before certain nouns and refers to them generally.
- 每天都有全国各地的旅游者来这里参观。
  Měitiān dōu yǒu quánguó gèdì de lǚyóuzhě lái zhèlǐ cānguān.
  Every day tourists from all over the country come here to sightsee.
- 请各班同学快上车，我们马上就要出发了。
  Qǐng gè bān tóngxué kuài shàngchē, wǒmen mǎshàng jiù yào chūfā le.
  Students from all classes, please get on the bus quickly; we are about to set off.
- 每个人都有自己的爱好。
  Měi ge rén dōu yǒu zìjǐ de àihào.
  Everyone has their own hobbies.
- 每星期有一次太极拳课。
  Měi xīngqī yǒu yí cì tàijíquán kè.
  There is one tai chi session every week.
6
十分 / 非常
非常 can be reduplicated; 十分 cannot, but it can take 不.
- 留学的机会十分难得，一定要好好珍惜。
  Liúxué de jīhuì shífēn nándé, yídìng yào hǎohāo zhēnxī.
  Chances to study abroad are very rare; you must cherish them.
- 这场杂技表演非常非常精彩。
  Zhè chǎng zájì biǎoyǎn fēicháng fēicháng jīngcǎi.
  This acrobatics show is extremely wonderful.
- 我觉得他这篇小说写得不十分好。
  Wǒ juéde tā zhè piān xiǎoshuō xiě de bù shífēn hǎo.
  I don't think he wrote this novel very well.

Usage notes

各 goes directly before certain nouns only (各国, 各班); you don't say 每国 or 每学校, you say 每个国家 and 每个学校.
马上就要……了 cannot be replaced with 立刻: 我弟弟马上就要毕业了; you don't say 立刻就要毕业了.

Practice

27 questions in 3 sets. One at a time, checked instantly, with explanations.

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