compounding (shortened to “comp”): the components of a word are complementary to each other in meaning and are of the same status. For example:
cáifù 财富 [comp: 财 property, fortune + 富 riches] N wealth, fortune
Modification (“modif”): one component modifies the other. For example:
báitiān 白天 [modif: 白 white + 天 day] N daytime
Verb+object (“v+obj”): the word has a verb-and-object relationship. For example:
chànggē 唱歌 [v+obj: 唱 sing + 歌 song] V sing songs, sing
Verb+complementation (“v+compl”): the word has a verb-and-complement relationship, that is, the first component is a verb and the second one modifies it. For example:
kànjiàn 看见 [v+compl: 看 look + 见 see] V see, get sight of
Suffixation (“suffix”): the word contains a suffix. For example:
bēizi 杯子 [suffix: 杯 cup + 子 nominal suffix] N cup, mug, glass (只 zhī)
3.4 Definitions
In most cases English equivalents or near equivalents are given as definitions. For example:
bāngmáng 帮忙 V help, help out
For grammatical words that have no English equivalents, concise explanations are given in brackets. For example:
de 的 PARTICLE (attached to a word or phrase to indicate that it is an attribute. 的 de is normally followed by a noun.)
After the definition of a noun, the specific measure word used with the noun is shown, if it is one of headwords in the dictionary. For example:
diànnǎo 电脑 [modif: 电 electricity + 脑 brain] N computer (台 tái)
When no measure word is shown for a noun, you can use the default measure word 个 gè.
The dictionary also show antonyms after the definition of common adjectives and some nouns. For example:
gāo 高 ADJ tall, high (ANTONYMS 矮 ǎi, 低 dī)
3.5 Example Sentences
Words become really meaningful only when used in sentences. A major feature of this dictionary is the thousands of example sentences that amply illustrate the meaning and usage of words. Great attention was paid to the composition of the sentences to make sure they are
(1) idiomatic,
(2) communicatively useful, and
(3) within the controlled vocabulary of this dictionary.
These sentences are accompanied by their pinyin and English translations. In some cases a second translation is provided in brackets to aid comprehension and idiomatic expression.
All this makes this dictionary an essential aid to teaching and learning Chinese.
4 GRAMMAR: Main Features
4.1 Topic+Comment Structure
The basic principle in making Chinese sentences is to follow the “topic+comment” structure. “Topic” means the subject matter you want to talk about, and “comment” is the information you give about the subject matter. To make a Chinese sentence, you simply first mention the subject matter you want to talk about, and then say what you have to say about it. For example, you can say 这件事 zhè jiàn shì (this matter/affair) first as the “topic” and then add “comment”:
这件事 我不清楚。Zhè jiàn shì wǒ bù qīngchǔ. I’m not clear about this matter.
这件事 我很了解。Zhè jiàn shì wǒ hěn liǎojiě. I know this matter well.
这件事 谁都不知道。Zhè jiàn shì shuí dōu bù zhīdào. Nobody knows this matter.
这件事 我不感兴趣。Zhè jiàn shì wǒ bù gǎn xìngqu. I’m not interested in this matter.
这件事 最近社交网站都在谈。Zhè jiàn shì zuìjìn shèjiāo dōu zài tán. Social media are all talking about this matter these days.
4.2 Ellipsis of Sentence Elements
Chinese speakers may leave out words that are supposed to be understood, and therefore need not be spoken. Subjects and conjunctions are often omitted. For example, you may translate the English sentence If you like it, you may buy it, but if you don’t like it, you don’t have to. into the Chinese sentence 喜欢就买，不喜欢就别买。Xǐhuan jiù mǎi, bù xǐhuan jiù bié mǎi. Compare the two sentences, and you will find that some English words, such as if, you, it, and but are not translated.
4.3 Word Classes: Flexibility, No Inflection
Chinese words do not have inflections, i.e. they do not change to indicate grammatical categories. For example, the verb 做 zuò (to do) is invariably 做 zuò; there is no past form or any other inflected form of this verb. Neither do Chinese words normally have formal markers of word class. Consequently, it is rather easy for a word to be used in more than one word class. This relative flexibility in word classes, however, does not mean that Chinese does not have word classes (see Section 4.5).
4.4 Measure Words and Particles
Measure words (量词 liàngcí) and particles (助词 zhùcí) are two word classes found in Chinese but not in English and most other languages.
Measure words are usually required when a noun is modified by a numeral. For example, 两书 liǎng shū is unacceptable; you must use the measure word 本 běn between the numeral and the noun: 两本书 liǎng běn shū (two books). Furthermore, Chinese nouns require specific measure words to go with them. For example, the noun 书 shū (book) must be used with the measure word 本 běn. See List 2 Measure Words.
In Chinese grammar, particles are words attached to other words or at the end of a sentence to indicate grammatical concepts or to express emotions. For example, the particles 了 le, 着 zhe, 过 guo are attached to verbs to indicate, respectively, whether the actions denoted are completed, in progress or past experiences.
4.5 Word Classes
Following are brief explanations of the basic terms in Chinese grammar used in this dictionary. (A word of warning: it is a rather complicated matter to define grammatical terms accurately. Here we will be content with some very general but useful ideas.)
| ADJECTIVE | a describing word, a word that describes people, things or actions, typically used before a noun. |
| ADVERB | a word that modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb. |
| CONJUNCTION | a word used to link two words, phrases or sentences, indicating certain relationships between them. |
| IDIOM | a set phrase, the meaning of which cannot be readily derived from its components. |
| INTERJECTION | a word that expresses strong emotions. |
| MEASURE WORD | a word that connects a numeral to a noun. Measure words are a special feature of Chinese; a list
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