bǔyǔ: 补语 - Complement (Grammatical)

• Keywords: Chinese complement, 补语, buyu, Chinese grammar complement, result complement, potential complement, degree complement, directional complement, state complement, Chinese verb complement, Chinese word order, HSK grammar, learn Chinese grammar.
• Summary: Mastering the Chinese 补语 (bǔyǔ), or “complement,” is a game-changer for moving beyond basic sentences. The complement is a word or phrase that follows a verb or adjective to describe the result, possibility, direction, or degree of an action. Understanding how to use the different types of Chinese complements—like the result complement (e.g., 看懂, to understand what one sees) or the potential complement (e.g., 看得懂, can understand)—is essential for speaking and understanding Chinese fluently and naturally. This guide will break down this core grammatical concept into simple, practical steps.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bǔyǔ
• Part of Speech: Noun (Grammatical Term)
• HSK Level: The concept is introduced around HSK 2/3 and is essential for all higher levels.
• Concise Definition: A grammatical component that follows a verb or adjective to provide additional information about the result, degree, direction, potential, or duration of an action.
• In a Nutshell: Think of a 补语 as a “verb finisher” or an “adjective enhancer.” In English, we use separate words or phrases to explain the outcome of an action, like “I ate until I was full,” or “He ran quickly.” Chinese is more efficient. It often combines the action and the outcome into a single, compact unit. For example, “eat-full” (吃饱 chībǎo) or “run-fast” (跑得快 pǎo de kuài). The second part of that unit is the 补语, and it's one of the most powerful and common structures in the language.

• 补 (bǔ): To supplement, to add, to patch, to make up for a deficiency. Think of patching a hole in clothing or supplementing a diet with vitamins.
• 语 (yǔ): Language, word, speech. It's a component in words like `语言 (yǔyán)` language and `汉语 (Hànyǔ)` Chinese language.

When combined, 补语 (bǔyǔ) literally means “supplementing word.” This is a perfect description, as its job is to add crucial, supplementary information to the main verb or adjective, completing its meaning.

The concept of the 补语 reveals a key difference between Chinese and English sentence structure. Chinese is a very verb-centric language that prioritizes conciseness and the outcome of actions. Instead of using numerous prepositions, adverbs, and clauses to describe how or to what result an action was performed, Chinese “bolts on” a complement directly after the verb. Compare the English sentence, “I can't understand what he is saying,” with the Chinese equivalent, “我听不懂 (wǒ tīng bu dǒng).”

• English: Subject + Verb + Object Clause (what he is saying). The inability to understand is expressed with “can't.”
• Chinese: Subject + Verb-Potential Complement. The action “listen” (听 tīng) is immediately modified by the negative potential complement “not understand” (不懂 bu dǒng). The result (or lack thereof) is part of the verb phrase itself.

This structure shows a different way of thinking about actions and results. In Chinese, the result is often seen as an integral part of the action itself, not a separate event that follows. Mastering complements allows you to start thinking more like a native speaker, focusing on the outcome and state-change of every action you describe.

The 补语 is not a single thing, but a category of grammar. There are several key types, each with its own function and structure.

This is the most common type. It's a verb or adjective that follows another verb to show its result.

• Structure: Verb + Result
• Example: 看 (kàn, to look) + 见 (jiàn, to see) = 看见 (kànjiàn, to see/have seen the result of looking)
• Example: 吃 (chī, to eat) + 完 (wán, to finish) = 吃完 (chīwán, to finish eating)

This type shows whether the result of an action is possible or not. It's formed by inserting 得 (de) for possible or 不 (bù) for impossible between the verb and the result complement.

• Structure (Positive): Verb + 得 + Result
• Structure (Negative): Verb + 不 + Result
• Example: 听 (tīng, to listen) + 懂 (dǒng, to understand) → 听得懂 (tīng de dǒng, can understand) / 听不懂 (tīng bu dǒng, cannot understand)

This describes the direction of an action relative to the speaker. They can be simple (using 来/去) or complex (using verbs like 上/下/进/出 + 来/去).

• Structure: Verb + Direction
• Simple Example: 拿 (ná, to take) + 来 (lái, to come) = 拿来 (nálái, to bring here)
• Complex Example: 跑 (pǎo, to run) + 上去 (shàngqù, to go up) = 跑上去 (pǎoshàngqù, to run up there)

This describes the state or quality of an action. It's used to say how someone does something, similar to an English adverb. It is always marked by the particle 得 (de).

• Structure: Verb + 得 + Adjective/Phrase
• Example: 他跑得很快。(Tā pǎo de hěn kuài.) - He runs very fast. (Literally: “He runs to a state of very fast.”)

This follows an adjective to intensify it, often using words like 极了 (jíle) or 死了 (sǐle).

• Structure: Adjective + Degree
• Example: 今天热死了！(Jīntiān rè sǐle!) - It's deadly hot today!
• Example: 你的主意好极了！(Nǐ de zhǔyi hǎo jíle!) - Your idea is absolutely brilliant!

• Example 1: (Result Complement)
  • 我的作业已经做完了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de zuòyè yǐjīng zuòwán le.
  • English: I have already finished my homework.
  • Analysis: Here, 完 (wán) is the result complement of the verb 做 (zuò), indicating the action of “doing” is complete.
• Example 2: (Result Complement)
  • 你看清楚黑板上的字了吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kànqīngchu hēibǎn shàng de zì le ma?
  • English: Did you see the characters on the blackboard clearly?
  • Analysis: 清楚 (qīngchu) acts as the result of the verb 看 (kàn). The action isn't just “to look,” but “to look to the point of clarity.”
• Example 3: (Potential Complement - Negative)
  • 餐厅里太吵了，我听不见你说话。
  • Pinyin: Cāntīng lǐ tài chǎo le, wǒ tīngbujiàn nǐ shuōhuà.
  • English: It's too noisy in the restaurant, I can't hear you speaking.
  • Analysis: The potential complement 听不见 (tīngbujiàn) directly expresses the inability to achieve the result of “seeing/perceiving” (见) through the action of “listening” (听).
• Example 4: (Potential Complement - Positive)
  • 这件衣服，你一个人穿得上吗？
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiàn yīfu, nǐ yīgè rén chuāndeshàng ma?
  • English: Can you put on this piece of clothing by yourself?
  • Analysis: 穿得上 (chuāndeshàng) shows that the action of “putting on” (穿) is possible to achieve. The complement is “上” (shàng), indicating success.
• Example 5: (State Complement)
  • 她唱歌唱得很好听。
  • Pinyin: Tā chànggē chàng de hěn hǎotīng.
  • English: She sings very beautifully.
  • Analysis: This is a classic state complement structure. The verb (唱) is repeated, and 得 (de) introduces the description (很好听) of how she sings.
• Example 6: (Directional Complement - Simple)
  • 快下雨了，我们回去吧！
  • Pinyin: Kuài xiàyǔ le, wǒmen huíqu ba!
  • English: It's about to rain, let's go back!
  • Analysis: The complement 去 (qù) indicates the direction of the action “return” (回) is away from the speaker.
• Example 7: (Directional Complement - Complex with Object)
  • 他从包里拿出来一本书。
  • Pinyin: Tā cóng bāo lǐ náchūlai yī běn shū.
  • English: He took a book out of his bag.
  • Analysis: 出来 (chūlai) is a complex directional complement. It shows the book moving from “inside” to “outside” (出) and towards the speaker's general location (来). The object (一本书) comes after the entire verb-complement phrase.
• Example 8: (Degree Complement)
  • 昨天晚上我饿死了，所以吃了很多东西。
  • Pinyin: Zuótiān wǎnshàng wǒ è sǐ le, suǒyǐ chīle hěnduō dōngxi.
  • English: I was starving (literally: hungry to death) last night, so I ate a lot of food.
  • Analysis: 死了 (sǐ le) is a common, informal degree complement used for exaggeration. It doesn't literally mean death but intensifies the adjective 饿 (è) to an extreme degree.
• Example 9: (Duration Complement)
  • 我在中国住过两年。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zài Zhōngguó zhùguo liǎng nián.
  • English: I have lived in China for two years.
  • Analysis: While sometimes considered a separate category, the time duration “两年” functions as a complement of quantity, specifying “how long” the action of living occurred. Note that it comes after the verb.
• Example 10: (State Complement with an Object)
  • 他汉字写得很漂亮。
  • Pinyin: Tā Hànzì xiě de hěn piàoliang.
  • English: He writes Chinese characters very beautifully.
  • Analysis: When a state complement is used with an object (汉字), the structure is: Subject + Object + Verb + 得 + Adjective. This is a very common pattern that often trips up learners.

• Fixed Word Order: The complement always follows the verb or adjective. A beginner might say `我完吃了 (wǒ wán chī le)`, mimicking English “I finished eating.” This is incorrect. It must be `我吃完了 (wǒ chīwán le)`.
• Potential Complements vs. `能 (néng)`: While both can express ability, the potential complement often implies an ability based on objective conditions, whereas `能` can be about skill or permission.
  • `我听不懂 (wǒ tīng bu dǒng)` - I can't understand (because it's too noisy, or the language is too hard).
  • `我不能听 (wǒ bù néng tīng)` - I can't listen (because I'm in a meeting, I'm not allowed to).
• Object Placement with Directional Complements: This is a major hurdle. If the object is a simple noun, it can go before or after 来/去. If it's a location, it goes before 来/去.
  • Correct: 他带回来一本书。(Tā dài huílai yī běn shū.)
  • Correct: 他带回一本书来。(Tā dài huí yī běn shū lai.)
  • Correct (Location): 他走上楼去。(Tā zǒu shàng lóu qù.) - He walked up the stairs.
  • Incorrect: 他走上去楼。
• The Two “de” Particles: Do not confuse the state complement particle 得 (de) with the possessive/modifying particle 的 (de).
  • State Complement: 他跑得快。(Tā pǎo de kuài.) - He runs fast. (Describes the verb)
  • Modifier: 他是的快跑者。(Tā shì de kuài pǎozhě.) - This is grammatically awkward, but illustrates the different `de`. A better sentence would be 他是一个跑得很快的人。 (He is a person who runs fast.)

• 动词 (dòngcí) - Verb. The primary word that a 补语 modifies.
• 形容词 (xíngróngcí) - Adjective. The other type of word that a 补语 (especially a degree complement) can modify.
• 结果补语 (jiéguǒ bǔyǔ) - Result Complement. The most common sub-category of 补语.
• 可能补语 (kěnéng bǔyǔ) - Potential Complement. A crucial sub-category for expressing ability.
• 趋向补语 (qūxiàng bǔyǔ) - Directional Complement. The sub-category that describes movement.
• 得 (de) - The essential structural particle for forming state complements and positive potential complements.
• 不 (bù) - The negative marker used to form negative potential complements.
• 了 (le) - The aspect particle often used alongside complements to indicate completion or a change of state.
• 宾语 (bīnyǔ) - Object. Understanding how to place the object correctly in a sentence with a complement is a key skill.