Topics in Chinese Topics in Chinese Linguistics: Linguistics:

Introduction to Introduction to ChineseChinese

Topic 4: VocabularyTopic 4: Vocabulary

Basic concepts Basic concepts

MorphemeMorpheme: :

A morpheme is a smallest A morpheme is a smallest meaningful unit in a language. meaningful unit in a language. It may be lexical or It may be lexical or rammatical: rammatical: 女 女 nnǚǚ lexical lexical ，子 ，子zǐ lexcical or grammticalzǐ lexcical or grammtical，，

Bound vs. free morphemesBound vs. free morphemes:: Free: morphemes that can be Free: morphemes that can be

uttered independently and used uttered independently and used freely. freely. 人 人 rén person. rén person.

Bound: always occur in conjunction Bound: always occur in conjunction with another morpheme. with another morpheme. 子 子 -zǐ as in -zǐ as in

兒子 兒子 érzi. érzi.

PrefixPrefix: : Any affix that appears before a free Any affix that appears before a free

morpheme. un-happy, morpheme. un-happy, 老師 老師 lǎo-shīlǎo-shī

SuffixSuffix: : Any affix that appears at the end of a Any affix that appears at the end of a

word. work-s, word. work-s, 兒子 兒子 ér-zi ér-zi

Derivational and inflectional affixesDerivational and inflectional affixes: :

Derivational affixes produce a word; Derivational affixes produce a word; happy => un-happy, work=> work-er,happy => un-happy, work=> work-er,

Inflectional affixes attach grammatical Inflectional affixes attach grammatical meanings to the word. work=>work-meanings to the word. work=>work-inging

Characters Characters

A Chinese character is a morphemes A Chinese character is a morphemes (either free or bound)(either free or bound)

A character is not necessarily a A character is not necessarily a word. word. 我 我 wǒ is a word wǒ is a word 們 們 men is not men is not a word, but a morpheme, a suffix.a word, but a morpheme, a suffix.

Chinese words mostly are two-Chinese words mostly are two-morpheme words. morpheme words. 中國 中國 Zhōngguó Zhōngguó 地地

圖 圖 dìtú dìtú 學生 學生 xuésheng xuésheng

WordsWords: has a specific meaning and : has a specific meaning and can be used freely. can be used freely.

Monosyllabic wordsMonosyllabic words 人 人 rén personrén person 吃 吃 chī to eatchī to eat 我 我 wǒ I Mwǒ I M Disyllabic wordsDisyllabic words 鼻子 鼻子 bízi nosebízi nose 桌子 桌子 zhuōzi tablezhuōzi table 官兒 官兒 guānr an officialguānr an official 老師 老師 lǎoshī teacher lǎoshī teacher

老虎 老虎 lǎohǔ tigerlǎohǔ tiger 第一 第一 dìyī firstdìyī first 人人 人人 rénrén everybody rénrén everybody 黑板 黑板 hēibǎn blackboardhēibǎn blackboard 圖書館 圖書館 túshūguǎn library túshūguǎn library Note:Note: A Chinese word contains at least one A Chinese word contains at least one

morpheme.morpheme. The word boundary is hard to detect The word boundary is hard to detect

in Chinese, not marked by spaces in Chinese, not marked by spaces between the words like English. between the words like English.

Word classesWord classes

Full words vs. empty (functional) Full words vs. empty (functional) words words 實詞虛詞實詞虛詞

All grammatical words are empty All grammatical words are empty (functional) words. The rest words (functional) words. The rest words are full (lexical) words.are full (lexical) words.

Full words Full words

nouns nouns 名詞名詞 verbs verbs 動詞動詞 adjectives adjectives 形容詞形容詞 nemerals nemerals 數詞數詞 measures measures 量詞量詞 pronouns- personal and pronouns- personal and

demonstratives demonstratives 代詞代詞

Empty wordsEmpty words

adverbs adverbs 副詞副詞 只，漸漸，很，不，沒， 只，漸漸，很，不，沒，最最

prepositions prepositions 介詞介詞在，上在，上 conjunctions conjunctions 連詞連詞 和，而且和，而且 particles particles 助詞 的，嗎，吧，得 助詞 的，嗎，吧，得 interjections interjections 感嘆詞感嘆詞 啊，啊， onomatopoeia onomatopoeia 象聲詞象聲詞 嘩啦，嘩啦，

Word formation Word formation Derivation: Derivation: morpheme plus preffix or morpheme plus preffix or

suffix suffix prefixes: prefixes: 老老 - lǎo - lǎo 老師 老師 lǎoshī teacherlǎoshī teacher 老鼠 老鼠 lǎoshǔ mouselǎoshǔ mouse 第第 - dì - dì 第一 第一 dìyī firstdìyī first 第二 第二 dìèr seconddìèr second 阿阿 - ā - ā 阿妹 阿妹 āmèi sisterāmèi sister 阿大 阿大 ādà first brother ādà first brother

suffixes: suffixes: --子子 zǐ zǐ 桌子桌子 zhuòzi tablezhuòzi table 椅子 椅子 yǐzi chairyǐzi chair --兒兒 érér 花兒 花兒 huār flowerhuār flower 飯館兒飯館兒 fànguǎr restaurantfànguǎr restaurant

--家家 jiā jiā 作家作家 zuòjiā writerzuòjiā writer 畫家畫家 huàjiā painterhuàjiā painter --主義主義 zhǔyì zhǔyì 共產主義 共產主義 gòngchǎnzhǔyì communismgòngchǎnzhǔyì communism 資本主義 資本主義 zīběnzhǔyì capitalismzīběnzhǔyì capitalism --學學 xuéxué 語言學 語言學 yǔyánxué linguisticsyǔyánxué linguistics 物理學 物理學 wùlǐxué physicswùlǐxué physics

infixes: infixes: 胡里胡塗 胡里胡塗 húlǐ-hútúhúlǐ-hútú 古里古怪 古里古怪 gǔlǐ-gǔguàigǔlǐ-gǔguài 吃不消 吃不消 chī-bu-xiāochī-bu-xiāo 來不及 來不及 lái-bu-jílái-bu-jí 對不起 對不起 duì-bu-qǐduì-bu-qǐ

CompoundingCompounding

Coordinating Coordinating 並列：並列： 父母 聲音 大小 買 父母 聲音 大小 買賣賣

fù-mǔ shēng-yīng dà-xiǎo fù-mǔ shēng-yīng dà-xiǎo mǎi-màimǎi-mài

father-mother voice-sound big-small father-mother voice-sound big-small buy-sell buy-sell

Subordinating Subordinating 偏正：偏正：

modifier and modified modifier and modified 修飾與被修飾：修飾與被修飾： 電話 火車 熱愛 晚會 電話 火車 熱愛 晚會 diàn-huà huǒ-chē rè-ài diàn-huà huǒ-chē rè-ài

wǎn-huìwǎn-huì electric-speech fire-vehicle hot-love electric-speech fire-vehicle hot-love

evening-meeting evening-meeting

Subordinating Subordinating 偏正：偏正：

subject-predicative subject-predicative 主謂：主謂： 地震，頭疼，眼花，地震，頭疼，眼花， dì-zhèn, tóu-téng, yǎn-huādì-zhèn, tóu-téng, yǎn-huā earth-vibrate, head-hurt, eye-blurearth-vibrate, head-hurt, eye-blur

Subordinating Subordinating 偏正：偏正：

verb-object verb-object 動賓：動賓： 吃飯，放心，傷心，吹牛吃飯，放心，傷心，吹牛 chī-fàn, fàng-xīn, shāng-xīn, chuī-niúchī-fàn, fàng-xīn, shāng-xīn, chuī-niú eat-rice, put down-heart, hurt-heart, eat-rice, put down-heart, hurt-heart,

blow-cow blow-cow

Subordinating Subordinating 偏正：偏正：

verb-complement verb-complement 動補：動補： 打破，放大，改正，說明打破，放大，改正，說明 dǎ-pò, fàng-dà, gǎi-zhèng, shuō-míngdǎ-pò, fàng-dà, gǎi-zhèng, shuō-míng hit-break, make-large, change-hit-break, make-large, change-

correct, state-clearcorrect, state-clear

Reduplication Reduplication 重疊重疊 Verbs Verbs 動詞：動詞： 等等，看看，想想，說說等等，看看，想想，說說 děng-děng, kàn-kàn, xiǎng-xiǎng, děng-děng, kàn-kàn, xiǎng-xiǎng,

shuō-shuōshuō-shuō wait, look, think, saywait, look, think, say

Nounds Nounds 名詞：名詞： 爸爸，媽媽，人人，天天，家家戶戶爸爸，媽媽，人人，天天，家家戶戶 bà-ba, mā-ma, rén-rén, tiān-tiān, bà-ba, mā-ma, rén-rén, tiān-tiān,

jiājiā-hùhùjiājiā-hùhù father, mother, person-person, day-father, mother, person-person, day-

day, family-family-household-day, family-family-household-houeseholdhouesehold

Adjectives Adjectives 形容詞：形容詞： AABBAABB：： 高高興興，干干淨淨高高興興，干干淨淨 gāogāo-xìngxìng, gāngān-jìngjìnggāogāo-xìngxìng, gāngān-jìngjìng high-spirited, dry-cleanhigh-spirited, dry-clean ABBABB：： 紅通通，白茫茫，綠油油，黑乎乎，髒兮紅通通，白茫茫，綠油油，黑乎乎，髒兮兮兮

hóng-tōngtōng, bái-mángmáng, lǜ-hóng-tōngtōng, bái-mángmáng, lǜ-yóuyóu, hēi-hūhū, zāng-xīxīyóuyóu, hēi-hūhū, zāng-xīxī

red-thorough, white-vast expanse, red-thorough, white-vast expanse, green-lush, black-dusky, dirt-xixigreen-lush, black-dusky, dirt-xixi

AABAAB：： Adverbs Adverbs 副詞：副詞： 慢慢地﹐快快地﹐好好地慢慢地﹐快快地﹐好好地 mànmànde, kuàikuàide, hǎohǎodemànmànde, kuàikuàide, hǎohǎode slow-slow-de, fast-fast-de, good-slow-slow-de, fast-fast-de, good-

good-degood-de

Synonyms and antonyms Synonyms and antonyms Synonyms – words with the exact same Synonyms – words with the exact same

meaningmeaning speech – speech – 演講，講演演講，講演 yánjiǎng, jiǎngyǎnyánjiǎng, jiǎngyǎn perform-speak, speak-performperform-speak, speak-perform bike –bike – 自行車，腳踏車自行車，腳踏車 zìxíngchē, jiǎotàchēzìxíngchē, jiǎotàchē self-move-vehicle, foot-peddle-vehicleself-move-vehicle, foot-peddle-vehicle Vitamin –Vitamin – 維他命，維生素維他命，維生素 wéitāmìng, wéishēngsùwéitāmìng, wéishēngsù maintain his life, maintain life elementsmaintain his life, maintain life elements

Synonyms – words with a similar Synonyms – words with a similar meaningmeaning

to taketo take 拿－取拿－取 ná-qǔná-qǔ to present (a gift)to present (a gift) 贈－送贈－送 zèng, sòngzèng, sòng

to eatto eat 吃－食吃－食 chī, shíchī, shí to attempto attemp 打算－企圖打算－企圖 dǎsuàn, qǐtúdǎsuàn, qǐtú to be proud of, to be arrogantto be proud of, to be arrogant 驕傲－自豪－自滿驕傲－自豪－自滿 jiāo’ào, zìháo, zìmǎnjiāo’ào, zìháo, zìmǎn

Antonyms – words with opposite Antonyms – words with opposite meaningsmeanings

大－小，長－短，高－低，好－壞大－小，長－短，高－低，好－壞 dà-xiǎo, cháng-duǎn, gāo-dī, hǎo-huàidà-xiǎo, cháng-duǎn, gāo-dī, hǎo-huài big-small, long-short, high-low, good-big-small, long-short, high-low, good-

badbad 浪費－節約，吝嗇－慷慨，痛苦－快樂，謙虛浪費－節約，吝嗇－慷慨，痛苦－快樂，謙虛－驕傲－驕傲

làngfèi-jiéyuē, lìnsè-kāngkǎi, tòngkǔ-làngfèi-jiéyuē, lìnsè-kāngkǎi, tòngkǔ-kuàilè, qiānxū-jiāo’àokuàilè, qiānxū-jiāo’ào

waste-save, stingy-generous, pain and waste-save, stingy-generous, pain and suffer-happy, modest-arrogant suffer-happy, modest-arrogant

春－秋，黑－白，黑－紅？春－秋，黑－白，黑－紅？ chūn-qiū, hēi-bái, hēi-hóngchūn-qiū, hēi-bái, hēi-hóng spring-fall, black-white, black-red? spring-fall, black-white, black-red?

Words that form a continuum Words that form a continuum 冰－寒－冷－涼－溫－暖－熱－燙冰－寒－冷－涼－溫－暖－熱－燙 bīng-hán-lěng-liáng-wēn-nuǎn-rè-bīng-hán-lěng-liáng-wēn-nuǎn-rè-

tàngtàng icy-cold-cool-warm-hot icy-cold-cool-warm-hot

HyponymsHyponyms

Words within a same category, with Words within a same category, with a hierarchy. The words within a a hierarchy. The words within a category under another word are category under another word are hyponyms of the word at the upper hyponyms of the word at the upper level.level.

AnimalAnimal

dog cat pig ...dog cat pig ...

Idioms Idioms Four character idioms chéngyǔ Four character idioms chéngyǔ 四字成語四字成語 狐假虎威 狐假虎威 hú-jià-hǔ-wēi hú-jià-hǔ-wēi the fox assuming the majesty of tiger – the fox assuming the majesty of tiger –

borrowing the power to do evilborrowing the power to do evil 一鳴驚人 一鳴驚人 yì-míng-jīng-rén yì-míng-jīng-rén to make one’s mark at the first shot, to to make one’s mark at the first shot, to

amaze the world with a single brilliant featamaze the world with a single brilliant feat 南轅北轍 南轅北轍 nán-yuán-běi-zhè nán-yuán-běi-zhè to go south by driving the chariot north, to go south by driving the chariot north,

means and ends opposed, practice means and ends opposed, practice diametrically opposed to preaching. diametrically opposed to preaching.

*Chinese chéngyǔ may function as nouns *Chinese chéngyǔ may function as nouns or verbs.or verbs.

Proverbs yànyǔ Proverbs yànyǔ 諺語諺語 Proverbs are sentences with Proverbs are sentences with

classical origin or a special classical origin or a special philosophical meaning or philosophical meaning or implications.implications.

活到老﹐學到老。 活到老﹐學到老。 Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo. Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo. Learn as long as you live.Learn as long as you live.

Xiòuyǔ Xiòuyǔ 歇後語歇後語 A special expression composed by A special expression composed by

two parts. The first part is a two parts. The first part is a statement or a description. The statement or a description. The second part is the essence of the second part is the essence of the expression.expression.

老鼠過街﹐人人喊打。老鼠過街﹐人人喊打。 Lǎoshǔ guō jiē, rénrén hǎn dǎ. Lǎoshǔ guō jiē, rénrén hǎn dǎ. When rats are running across the When rats are running across the

street, every body yells: “Kill them!” street, every body yells: “Kill them!” (to be chased by all like a rat (to be chased by all like a rat running across the street.)running across the street.)

和尚打傘和尚打傘 --無法無天。無法無天。 Héshang dǎ sǎn – wú fǎ wú tiān.Héshang dǎ sǎn – wú fǎ wú tiān. A monk holds an umbrella – there is A monk holds an umbrella – there is

no hair (rhymed with ‘law’) and sky. no hair (rhymed with ‘law’) and sky.

AssignmentAssignment

Unit 4 homework due 10/28 Unit 4 homework due 10/28 See course page AssignmentSee course page Assignment http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/

380/380homework4.doc380/380homework4.doc