Introduction of separable words

(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

离合词
What to add
离的方式

离开了母亲

I left my mother

离不开母亲

I can’t leave my mother.

他会开车

He can drive.

不了

开不了

He can’t drive.

”了、过、完” can be added to indicate the completion of the action.

离合词
What to add
离的方式

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.

打完球了。

I have played basketball.

“着” can be added to indicate the continuity of action.

离合词
What to add
离的方式

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.

离合词
What to add
离的方式

我要补课

I want to make up my lessons.

two

我要备两节课

I have to make up two lessons.

他在读书

He is reading.

a lot of

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