NCEA Level 3 Chinese flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

听力中的 为什么

Question word meaning 'why'. The answer is usually introduced by 因为 or 由于 and closed by 所以. Listen for the reason clause rather than the surrounding description.

没 versus 不

没 negates completed action or existence (他没来 he did not come); 不 negates habit, intention or state (他不来 he will not come). Choosing the wrong one reverses the timeline.

可不是嘛

Colloquial expression meaning 'exactly' or 'isn't that so'. It signals emphatic agreement, not a literal question, so it should not be answered as if asking for confirmation.

也就是说

Discourse marker meaning 'in other words'. It introduces a restatement, and in listening tasks the restated version is normally the intended answer while the earlier version is a distractor.

买 versus 卖

mǎi (third tone) means 'buy'; mài (fourth tone) means 'sell'. Tone alone distinguishes them, so use collocations such as 买东西 or 卖东西 to confirm which is meant.

其实

Adverb meaning 'actually' or 'in fact'. It typically introduces a correction or contrast with what was just said, marking the speaker's real position for comprehension questions.

Third tone sandhi

When a third tone precedes another third tone, the first is pronounced as second tone: 你好 nǐ hǎo becomes ní hǎo. Three third tones group by word, as in 我很好.

不 tone change

不 bù is normally fourth tone but changes to second tone before another fourth tone: 不是 bú shì, 不会 bú huì, 不去 bú qù. Before other tones it stays fourth.

一 tone change

一 yī is first tone in isolation but becomes yì before first, second or third tone (一天 yì tiān) and yí before fourth tone (一次 yí cì).

了 versus 过

了 marks a completed action or a change of state (我吃了 I have eaten); 过 marks past experience at some indefinite time (我去过 I have been there). They are not interchangeable.

着 as state marker

The particle 着 attaches to a verb to show a continuing state or accompanying circumstance, as in 门开着 (the door is open) or 他笑着说 (he said with a smile).

Sentence-final 吧

Particle 吧 softens a statement into a suggestion, request or tentative assumption, as in 我们走吧 (let's go) or 他大概在家吧 (he is probably home).

Repair phrase 再说一遍

您能再说一遍吗 means 'could you say that again?'. It is a functional repair strategy that keeps an interaction going when part of the utterance was missed.

Measure word 位

位 is the polite measure word for people, used as 一位老师 or 三位客人. It is preferred over 个 when referring to others respectfully in formal speech.

Measure word 条

条 classifies long, thin or winding objects: 一条路 (a road), 一条鱼 (a fish), 一条消息 (a piece of news). It is not used for flat or general objects.

越…越 construction

Pattern meaning 'the more... the more...': 越学越有意思 (the more you study, the more interesting it becomes). Both slots take verbs or adjectives, and the second clause states the resulting change.

不但…而且

Correlative meaning 'not only... but also'. It links two additive clauses and requires the second to be at least as strong as the first, as in 他不但会说中文，而且说得很流利.

虽然…但是

Concessive pair meaning 'although... nevertheless'. Chinese requires the second clause to state the contrasting fact; omitting 但是 after 虽然 is a common structural error.

如果…就

Conditional pattern meaning 'if... then'. 如果 opens the condition and 就 introduces the consequence, as in 如果下雨，比赛就取消 (if it rains, the match is cancelled).

是…的 emphasis

Construction highlighting the circumstance of a past event, such as time, place or manner: 他是昨天来的 means 'it was yesterday that he came', not simply 'he came yesterday'.

被 passive

Marker of passive voice, often with an adverse sense: 他被批评了 (he was criticised). The agent follows 被, and the verb usually takes a result or aspect particle.

把 construction

Pattern fronting a definite object before the verb to show disposal or result: 我把书看完了 (I finished reading the book). The verb must carry a complement or aspect particle.

Result complement 看完

Verb plus result complement: 看完 means 'finish reading/watching', 看懂 means 'read and understand', 看到 means 'catch sight of'. The complement carries the outcome, not the main verb.

不一定

Expression meaning 'not necessarily'. It hedges a claim, and in reading options a hedged statement often matches a passage that avoids absolute assertions better than a categorical one.

的 得 地

的 links a modifier to a noun (漂亮的花); 得 follows a verb to introduce degree or result (跑得快); 地 links an adverbial modifier to a verb (慢慢地走).

Formal letter opening

A formal Chinese letter opens with a respectful address such as 尊敬的校长 and then states the purpose directly, often with 为了 or 关于, before developing the main points.

此致敬礼

Conventional closing for formal Chinese letters: 此致 followed by 敬礼 on the next line. It corresponds to 'yours sincerely' and should not be used in informal writing.

首先 其次 总之

Sequencing connectives for argumentative writing: 首先 (first), 其次 (second), 另外 (in addition), 因此 (therefore), 总之 (in conclusion). They make paragraph structure visible to the marker.

与其…不如

Pattern meaning 'rather than... it would be better to': 与其等他，不如我们先走 (rather than wait for him, we had better go first). It expresses a comparative preference between two options.

即使…也

Concessive conditional meaning 'even if... still': 即使下雨，我们也要去 (even if it rains, we still will go). It concedes a hypothesis without changing the main clause.

除了…以外

Pattern meaning 'besides' or 'except'. With 还/也 it is additive (除了中文，他还学日语); with 都 it is exclusive (除了他，大家都来了).

Narrative sequencers

Time markers that keep a recount coherent: 起初 (at first), 后来 (later), 接着 (next), 然后 (then), 最后 (finally), 从那以后 (from then on). Chinese verbs are not conjugated for tense.