(for hsk3 and above)
What is separable word?
If I say this word is flexible, which word will you guess? What is the feature of the English word “take away, pick up and break out”? They are all very flexible. In Chinese, there are some words. Sometimes they can be combined as one word, sometimes the words will be used separately as a phrase. Such words are called " separable words", for example, 吃饭--吃着饭;打架--打了一架, etc.
How to use separable words?
”不” can be added to indicate negation
我离开了母亲
I left my mother
我离不开母亲
I can’t leave my mother.
他会开车
He can drive.
他开不了车
He can’t drive.
”了、过、完” can be added to indicate the completion of the action.
他们8点吃饭9点洗澡。
They have meal at 8 o’clock and take a bath at 9 o’clock.
他们8点吃了饭9点洗了澡。
They had meal at 8 o’clock and took a bath at 9 o’clock.
他们结婚了。
They are married.
他们结过婚了。
They have got married.
我在打球。
I am playing basketball.
我打完球了。
I have played basketball.
“着” can be added to indicate the continuity of action.
他正为这件事发愁呢。
He is worrying about the matter.
他正为这件事发着愁呢。
He is worrying about the matter.
我现在在考试。
I'm taking the exam now.
现在我正考着试呢。
I'm taking the exam now.
Some quantifiers or adverbs can be added in the separable words.
我要补课。
I want to make up my lessons.
我要备两节课。
I have to make up two lessons.
他在读书。
He is reading.
他读了很多书。
He read a lot of books.
However, separable words cannot can be identified easily and it is easy to make mistakes. Now, let’s have a deeper study on them. Let's go!
Learn separable words
Common separable words in HSK 1
Total 76 words
吃饭 have a meal
吃完饭 had/finish a meal
睡觉 fall asleep; get to sleep
睡着觉 is sleeping
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Common separable words in HSK 2
Total 167 words
超过 surpass;overtake
超不过 cannot surpass
加油 oil; refuel; step up efforts
加一次油 fuel one time
加过油 fuelled
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Common separable words in HSK 3
Total 360 words
结婚 marry; get/be married; marry up
结不了婚 cannot marry
发言 speak; take the floor; make a statement
发完言 finish the speech
发一次言 make a speech
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Common separable words in HSK 4
Total 604 words
担心 worry; feel anxious about; be fearful of
担什么心 what to worry about
招生 recruit students; admit new students
招一次生 recruit students one time
招过生 recruited students
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Common separable words in HSK 5
Total 747 words
失恋 be disappointed in a love affair
失过恋 was disappointed in a love affair
签名 sign; autograph
签一个名 sign a name
签了签名 have signed a name
······
Common separable words in HSK 6
Total 593 words
负债 incur debts
负很多债 be deep in debt
说谎 tell a lie
说过慌 told a lie
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Other common separable words above HSK
Total 539 words
投票 vote; cast a vote; ballot
投我的票 vote for me
中毒 be poisoned physically
中了毒 have been poisoned
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