Grammar

Elliptical Sentences

An elliptical sentence is one where only part of a whole sentence is spoken because the context conveys the whole meaning. Elliptical sentences are often used in conversation.

For example:

- 你去吗?

-(我)去｡

- Nǐ qù ma?

- (Wǒ) qù.

- Are you coming?

- (I'm) coming.

Exercises: Pinpoint the part of each sentence that is omitted.

For example:

- 你想吃什么?

-(我想吃)米饭｡

- Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?

- (Wǒ xiǎng chī) mǐfàn.

- What would you like to eat?

- (I would like to eat) rice.

The subject and predicate are omitted.

1. - 你买不买?

-(我)不买｡

- Nǐ mǎibùmǎi?

- (Wǒ) bù mǎi.

- Are you going to buy it or not?

- (I am) not going to buy it.

2. - 谁和马克一起去?

- 珍妮(和他一起去)｡

- Shuí hé Mǎkè yìqǐ qù?

- Zhēnnī (hé tā yìqǐ qù).

- Who is going with Mark?

- Jenny (is going with him).

Chinese Idioms

狐假虎威

hújiǎhǔwēi

有一天,一只老虎抓住了一只狐狸,要吃掉它｡狡猾的狐狸说: "你怎么敢吃掉我!我是天帝派来做兽中之王的｡" 见老虎不相信它的话,狐狸又说: "你要是不信,可以跟着我走,看看是不是所有的动物都怕我!"为了证实狐狸的话,老虎同意和狐狸在森林里走一圈｡ 狐狸走在前面,老虎紧紧地跟在后面,森林里的兔子､鹿等动物看见老虎来了,都吓得跑开了｡老虎以为那些动物是因为害怕狐狸而逃跑的,所以它也不敢吃狐狸了｡ "狐假虎威"就是形容那些依仗别人的势力欺负他人的人｡

Yǒuyìtiān, yìzhī lǎohǔ zhuāzhùle yìzhī húli, yào chīdiào tā. Jiǎohuáde húli shuō: "Nǐ zěnme gǎn chīdiào wǒ! Wǒshì tiāndì pàilái zuò shòuzhōngzhīwáng de." Jiàn lǎohǔ bù xiāngxìn tādehuà, húli yòu shuō: "Nǐ yàoshì búxìn, kěyǐ gēnzhe wǒ zǒu, kànkan shìbúshì suǒyǒude dòngwù dōu pà wǒ!" Wèile zhèngshí húli de huà, lǎohǔ tóngyì hé húli zài sēnlínlǐ zǒu yìquān. Húli zǒuzài qiánmiàn, lǎohǔ jǐnjǐnde gēnzài hòumiàn, sēnlínlǐ de tùzi､ lù děng dòngwù kànjiàn lǎohǔ láile, dōu xiàde pǎokāi le. Lǎohǔ yǐwéi nàxiē dòngwù shì yīnwèi hàipà húli ér táopǎo de, suǒyǐ tā yě bùgǎn chī húli le. "Hújiǎhǔwēi" jiùshì xíngróng nàxiē yīzhàng biérén de shìlì qīfu tārén de rén.

A tiger caught a fox one day, and was about to devour it when the quick-witted fox said: "Do you dare to eat me, whom a heavenly god has sent to be the king of beasts?" Seeing the tiger was not convinced, the fox added: "If you don't believe me, let's take a walk and you'll see for yourself there is not one animal that isn't afraid of me!" To verify the fox's claim, the tiger agreed. The fox walked ahead of the tiger through the forest, and the instant rabbits, deer and all other animals saw the latter they fled for cover. The tiger, thinking they had fled in fear of the fox, thought that it too should be afraid, and decided not to eat the fox after all. The phrase "a fox borrowing the awe of the tiger" describes people who bully others by virtue of powerful connections.