Learn Chinese – learn Mandarin – How to say – He risked his life to save that child. 他冒着生命的危险去救那个小孩。Ta1 mao4 zhe5 sheng1 ming4 de5 wei2 xian3 qu4 jiu4 na4 ge5 xiao3 hai2. Ta1 (他 pronoun, he) mao4 (冒 verb, risk) zhe5 (着 a continuous aspect particle after verb, see explanation below) sheng1 ming4 (生命noun, life) de5 (的 a connecting particle, usually put between attribute and the noun) wei2 xian3 (危险 noun, danger) qu4 (去 verb, to go to) jiu4 (救 verb, save) na4 (那 pronoun, that) ge5 (个 measure word for child) xiao3 (小 adjective, little) hai2 (孩 noun, child).
Today, let’s learn about the usage of continuous aspect particle 着 zhe5:
Usage 1: V + 着 zhe5 can be used to describe how an action is carried out with another action (i.e. the action is done in what fashion).
For example:
他站＊＊着＊＊看书。
Ta1 zhan4 zhe5 kan4 shu1.
He reads while he is standing.
He read while he was standing.
我弟弟听＊＊着＊＊音乐打电动。
Wo3 di4 di5 ting1 zhe5 yin1 yue4 da3 dian4 dong4.
My younger brother plays electronic games while he is listening to music.
My younger brother played electronic games while he was listening to music.
Usage 2: V + 着 zhe5 can be used to describe the action is continuous, as
in the present continuous tense or past continuous tense, it is like the “-ing” suffix that we use on the end of English verbs.
For example,
你听＊＊着＊＊音乐。我唱＊＊着＊＊歌。
Ni3 ting1 zhe5 yin1 yue4. Wo3 chang4 zhe5 ge1.
You are listening to music. I am singing songs.
You were listening to music. I was singing songs.
For the same meaning, you can use 在 zai4 (progressive aspect) to show the continuous action, but 在zai4 needs to be put in front of the verb.
你＊＊在＊＊听音乐。我＊＊在＊＊唱歌。
Ni3 zai4 ting1 yin1 yue4. Wo3 zai4 chang4 ge1.
You are listening to music. I am singing songs.
You were listening to music. I was singing songs.
You can even use zai4 and zhe5 at same time to emphasize the continuous aspect, as
你＊＊在＊＊听＊＊着＊＊音乐。我＊＊在＊＊唱＊＊着＊＊歌。
Ni3 zai4 ting1 zhe5 yin1 yue4. Wo3 zai4 chang4 zhe5 ge1.
You are listening to music. I am singing songs.
You were listening to music. I was singing songs.
Usage 3 of 着 zhe5: 1. V+着 zhe5 can be used to describe about how an object has been put or left in a certain way.
门是开＊＊着＊＊。
Men1 shi4 kai1 zhe5.
The door is open.
我把衣服挂＊＊着＊＊。
Wo3 ba3 yi1 fu2 gua4 zhe5.
I hung the clothes.
Usage 4 of 着 zhe5 after a stative verb to describe a constant situation going on and in an excess of certain condition.
Stative verbs are words which are used to describe a state which is relatively unchanging. Examples of stative verbs are gao1 (tall), gui4 (expensive), da4 (large), hao3 (good) and mang2 (busy). These stative verbs are often translated into English as adjectives, but they function as verbs in Mandarin sentences.
For example,
我的成绩好＊＊着＊＊呢。
Wo3 de5 cheng2 ji1 hao3 zhe5 ne5.
My grade is very good.
他高＊＊着＊＊呢。
Ta1 gao1 zhe5 ne5.
He is very tall.
Speaking of continuous aspect, are you feeling thrilled about life at this moment? Hope you are not feeling bored of learning Chinese grammar now! I know you are not, so, let’s learn one more sentence for today:
We are all living the life right now.
Wo3 men1 dou1 zai4 sheng1 huo2 zhe5 ne5.
我们都**在**生活**着**呢！！
Living your life positively, and wish your life full of wonderful moments ….. If sometimes, sad moments come, please look out for the silver lining at the contour of dark clouds and expect the rainbows…..
Since, we are talking about saving life (生命 sheng1 ming4) today, let’s listen to a lovely song by OneRepublic – Good Life + Lyrics
And see how the fly tried so hard to complete perfection in it’s one minute life video,
an amazing fly it was ….
蒼蠅一分鐘的生命 Cang2 ying2 yi4 fen1 zhong1 de5 sheng1 ming4
The one minute life of a fly or a fly’s one minute life