What does the Resultative/Potential Complement V + 上 (shàng) vs. V + 住 (zhù) express in HSK 4–5?

- V + 上 (shàng): 1. coming together/closing (关上门, 闭上眼睛), 2. achieving a goal or falling into a state (考上大学 'pass into university', 爱上她); - V + 住 (zhù): fixing firmly in place or memory (记住生词 'remember firmly', 拿住, 停住, 站住).

What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 全力以赴 (quán lì yǐ fù) and 当务之急 (dāng wù zhī jí) mean?

- 全力以赴: 'go all out / spare no effort' in pursuing a goal; - 当务之急: 'the most urgent task or top priority at the present moment'.

What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 塞翁失马 (sài wēng shī mǎ) and 因小失大 (yīn xiǎo shī dà) mean?

- 塞翁失马（焉知非福）: 'the old frontiersman loses his horse' — a blessing in disguise; misfortune may turn into good luck; - 因小失大: 'suffer a big loss for the sake of a small gain' ('penny wise and pound foolish').

How is '宁可……也不…… (nìngkě... yě bù...)' vs. '与其……不如…… (yǔqí... bùrú...)' used for preferences in HSK 5?

- 宁可 A，也不 B ('would rather endure undesirable A than do B'): 他宁可自己吃苦，也不愿意麻烦别人; - 与其 A，不如 B ('rather than A, it is better to choose B' — weighing two options and choosing B): 周末与其在家看电视，不如去爬山.

What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) and 多此一举 (duō cǐ yì jǔ) mean?

- 画蛇添足: 'draw a snake and add feet to it' — ruin a finished work by adding superfluous, unnecessary details; - 多此一举: 'make an unnecessary extra move' — do something redundant that wasn't needed.

What is the difference between 尽管……但是/还是…… (jǐnguǎn) and 不管……都/也…… (bùguǎn) in HSK 4?

- 尽管 (jǐnguǎn, 'although / despite the fact that') introduces an established, real fact: 尽管下着大雨，他还是准时到了; - 不管 (bùguǎn, 'no matter / regardless of') MUST be followed by a question word (谁/什么/怎么/多么) or A-not-A / 还是 choice, plus 都/也 in the main clause: 不管天气怎么样，我都要去.

How does Question Word Universal / Arbitrary Reference (谁都…… / 哪儿也不…… / 怎么都行) work in HSK 4?

Question pronouns (谁, 什么, 哪儿, 怎么, 什么时候) placed before 都 (affirmative) or 也 (negative) mean 'everyone/anyone', 'anything/nothing', 'everywhere/nowhere': 房间里安静极了，谁也没说话 ('No one said a word').

What does '无论 / 不论……都…… (wúlùn / búlùn... dōu...)' require in HSK 4–5?

Formal equivalents of 不管 ('regardless of / no matter'): must be followed by an alternative (A还是B), a question word, or 多(么)+Adj, and paired with 都 or 也 in the main clause (无论遇到什么困难，我们都不能放弃).

What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 不知不觉 (bù zhī bù jué) and 不耐烦 (bú nài fán) mean?

- 不知不觉: 'unconsciously / before one realizes it' (time passing or habits forming: 不知不觉已经工作十年了); - 不耐烦: 'impatient / fed up with waiting or nagging'.

How does '既然……就…… (jìrán... jiù...)' differ from '因为……所以…… (yīnwèi... suǒyǐ...)' in HSK 4?

因为 states an objective cause-and-effect fact; 既然 ('Since / Now that [already agreed fact]...') takes an already known premise as the starting point and uses the second clause (with 就/也/还) to propose a logical deduction, suggestion, or rhetorical question: 既然你不想去，那就算了吧.

What do the high-frequency HSK 4–5 Potential Complements 动词+得/不起, 动词+得/不下, and 动词+得/不了 (liǎo) mean?

- V + 得/不起 (qǐ): can/cannot afford financially or morally (买不起房 'cannot afford to buy a house'; 对不起); - V + 得/不下 (xià): does/does not have enough spatial capacity to fit (这个房间坐不下三十个人); - V + 得/不了 (liǎo, 3rd tone!): can/cannot finish OR can/cannot carry out an action (今天去不了了 'cannot make it today'; 吃不了这么多).

What does the HSK 5 structure '何况 (hékuàng) / 更不用说' vs. '尚且 (shàngqiě)……，何况……' express?

'Even [harder/greater case A is true], let alone / much less [easier/smaller case B]': 连专业运动员都觉得累，何况我们这些普通人呢？

How is the 被 (bèi) Passive Construction formed in HSK 4, and how does it differ from 让 (ràng) and 叫 (jiào)?

Structure: Receiver (Subject) + 被 + (Agent) + Verb + Complement/了 (我的钱包被小偷拿走了). With 被, the Agent can be omitted (钱包被偷了); with 让 (ràng), 叫 (jiào), or 给 (gěi) in spoken passive, the Agent MUST be explicitly stated (我的自行车让人骑走了).

What is the difference between 原来 (yuánlái) and 本来 (běnlái) in HSK 4?

- 原来: 1. 'originally/formerly' (noun/adj), 2. 'so it turns out that! [sudden realization of a previously unknown truth]' (原来是你呀！); - 本来: 1. 'originally (in the initial plan before something changed)' (我本来想今天去，可是下雨了), 2. 'of course / as it should be' (本来就应该这样).

What is the difference between 由 (yóu), 由于 (yóuyú), and 通过 (tōngguò) in HSK 4–5?

- 由 + Person/Component: introduces the person responsible for a task OR the components making up a whole (这次会议由李经理主持; 由三部分组成); - 由于: formal preposition/conjunction meaning 'owing to / because of' (由于天气原因，航班延误了); - 通过 + Means/Channel: 'by means of / through' (通过这次实习，我学到了很多东西).

What is the difference between a Resultative Complement (结果补语: 看懂) and a Potential Complement (可能补语: 看得懂 / 看不懂)?

- Resultative Complement (Verb + Result: 看懂, 做完, 买到, 听清楚) states whether an actual result happened (negated with 没: 没看懂); - Potential Complement inserts 得 (affirmative) or 不 (negative) between Verb and Result to express whether an outcome is achievable given ability/conditions (看得懂 'can understand' / 看不懂 'cannot understand').

In HSK 4–5 Reading & Writing (Word Order Rearrangement 排列顺序), what is the golden rule for ordering clauses?

Mandarin follows the Principle of Temporal & Logical Iconicity: Cause BEFORE Effect (因为/由于 -> 所以/因此), Condition BEFORE Result (只要/只有/无论 -> 就/才/都), Background/Concession BEFORE Main Claim (虽然/尽管 -> 但是), and General Topic BEFORE Specific Comment.

What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 自相矛盾 (zì xiāng máo dùn) and 莫名其妙 (mò míng qí miào) mean?

- 自相矛盾: 'one's spear and shield contradict each other' — be self-contradictory in one's words or actions; - 莫名其妙: 'no one can explain its mystery' — baffling, inexplicable, or odd without apparent reason.

How do '非……不可 (fēi... bùkě)' and '可……可不……' work in HSK 5?

'非 + Verb/Clause + 不可' is a double negative expressing firm determination or necessity ('simply must... / nothing less than...': 这件事我非弄清楚不可).

What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 入乡随俗 (rù xiāng suí sú) and 一举两得 (yì jǔ liǎng dé) mean?

- 入乡随俗: 'when entering a village, follow its customs' ('When in Rome, do as the Romans do'); - 一举两得: 'achieve two goals with a single action' ('kill two birds with one stone').

How does Correlative Question Word Pairing (谁……谁…… / 哪儿……哪儿…… / 什么……什么……) work in HSK 4?

Repeating the same question word in two clauses means 'whoever... that person...', 'wherever... there...', 'whatever... that...': 谁想去谁就报名 ('Whoever wants to go can sign up'); 哪儿凉快哪儿呆着去.

How do '不但/不仅……而且/还……' and '不但不/没……反而…… (fǎn'ér)' work in HSK 4?

- 不但/不仅 A，而且 B: 'Not only A, but also B' (same subject goes BEFORE 不但; two different subjects go AFTER 不但); - 不但不/没 A，反而 B: 'Not only did X not happen, on the contrary [the opposite happened]': 吃了药以后，他的病不但没好，反而更严重了.

What is the difference between 只要……就…… (zhǐyào... jiù...) and 只有……才…… (zhǐyǒu... cái...)?

- 只要 A 就 B ('As long as A, then B' — Sufficient condition): A is an easy or sufficient trigger for B (只要你努力，就一定能学好); - 只有 A 才 B ('Only if A, then B' — Necessary/Exclusive condition): A is the sole indispensable prerequisite for B (只有多练习，才能提高口语).

What is the difference between 千万 (qiānwàn), 一定 (yídìng), and 难免 (nánmiǎn) in HSK 4–5?

- 千万: used almost exclusively in imperatives and negative warnings ('by all means / whatever you do, don't...': 千万别忘了带护照); - 一定: 'definitely/certainly' (adverb) or 'a certain level of' (attributive adjective: 有一定的基础); - 难免: 'hard to avoid / bound to happen' (说外语难免会犯错误).

What does the HSK 4–5 Chengyu 马到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng) and 半途而废 (bàn tú ér fèi) mean?

- 马到成功: 'win instant success upon the arrival of one's warhorse' — used to wish someone immediate success in an exam or venture; - 半途而废: 'give up halfway' — start a task but fail to persevere to completion.

What is the difference between 到底 (dàodǐ) and 终于 (zhōngyú) in HSK 4?

- 终于 ('finally / at long last') is used in declarative sentences for a long-awaited, usually positive outcome (春天终于来了); - 到底 ('on earth / after all') is used in strong questions to press for an answer (你到底去不去？ — never use 到底 in a 吗 yes/no question!) OR with 坚持到底 ('persevere to the very end').

What is the difference between 居然 / 竟然 (jūrán / jìngrán) and 果然 (guǒrán) in HSK 4?

- 居然 / 竟然 ('unexpectedly / to one's surprise'): outcome is the exact OPPOSITE of what was expected (这么简单的题，他竟然做错了); - 果然 ('sure enough / just as expected'): outcome confirms what was previously predicted or rumored (天气预报说今天有雨，下午果然下起来了).

What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 讨价还价 (tǎo jià huán jià) and 实事求是 (shí shì qiú shì) mean?

- 讨价还价: 'bargain over prices / haggle over terms'; - 实事求是: 'seek truth from facts' — be realistic, objective, and practical.

What is the difference between 往往 (wǎngwǎng) and 常常 / 经常 (chángcháng / jīngcháng) in HSK 4?

- 常常 / 经常 simply states that an action happens frequently (past, present, or future: 以后要常来玩儿); - 往往 summarizes a law-like empirical regularity depending on specific conditions (must specify the time/place/condition, and CANNOT be used for subjective future wishes): 春天这里往往刮大风.

What does the HSK 5 structure '幸亏 / 多亏 (xìngkuī / duōkuī)……，不然 / 否则 (bùrán / fǒuzé)……' express?

'Fortunately / Thanks to [X], otherwise [bad outcome Y would have happened]': 幸亏你提醒我，要不然我就忘带钥匙了 (多亏 often highlights gratitude toward a person's help).

What is the difference between 以为 (yǐwéi) and 认为 (rènwéi) in HSK 4?

- 以为 usually implies a MISTAKEN assumption that turned out to be false ('I mistakenly thought...': 我以为今天是星期五呢，原来才星期四); - 认为 expresses a considered, serious opinion or judgment ('hold the view that...': 专家认为这项政策有利于经济发展).

How does the '连……也/都…… (lián... yě/dōu...)' construction work in HSK 4?

Focuses on an extreme example to mean 'even [X]...': 连 + Extreme Noun/Verb Phrase + 都/也 + Verb Phrase (这么简单的问题，连三岁的孩子都知道 'Even a three-year-old knows such a simple question'; 他忙得连吃午饭的时间都没有).

HSK 4–5 Mandarin Grammar Structures (把/被/结果补语/连…都) & Four-Character Idioms (成语)

Intermediate-advanced Mandarin grammar for HSK 4–5: 被 passive, resultative & potential complements, complex conjunction pairs, and high-frequency four-character idioms (成语).

Level: intermediate
Languages: en → en
Cards: 32
Markdown: HSK 4–5 Mandarin Grammar Structures (把/被/结果补语/连…都) & Four-Character Idioms (成语) (.md)

Flashcards (32)

#	Front (Term / Question)	Back (Definition / Answer)
1	What does the Resultative/Potential Complement V + 上 (shàng) vs. V + 住 (zhù) express in HSK 4–5?	- V + 上 (shàng): 1. coming together/closing (关上门, 闭上眼睛), 2. achieving a goal or falling into a state (考上大学 'pass into university', 爱上她); - V + 住 (zhù): fixing firmly in place or memory (记住生词 'remember firmly', 拿住, 停住, 站住).
2	What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 全力以赴 (quán lì yǐ fù) and 当务之急 (dāng wù zhī jí) mean?	- 全力以赴: 'go all out / spare no effort' in pursuing a goal; - 当务之急: 'the most urgent task or top priority at the present moment'.
3	What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 塞翁失马 (sài wēng shī mǎ) and 因小失大 (yīn xiǎo shī dà) mean?	- 塞翁失马（焉知非福）: 'the old frontiersman loses his horse' — a blessing in disguise; misfortune may turn into good luck; - 因小失大: 'suffer a big loss for the sake of a small gain' ('penny wise and pound foolish').
4	How is '宁可……也不…… (nìngkě... yě bù...)' vs. '与其……不如…… (yǔqí... bùrú...)' used for preferences in HSK 5?	- 宁可 A，也不 B ('would rather endure undesirable A than do B'): 他宁可自己吃苦，也不愿意麻烦别人; - 与其 A，不如 B ('rather than A, it is better to choose B' — weighing two options and choosing B): 周末与其在家看电视，不如去爬山.
5	What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) and 多此一举 (duō cǐ yì jǔ) mean?	- 画蛇添足: 'draw a snake and add feet to it' — ruin a finished work by adding superfluous, unnecessary details; - 多此一举: 'make an unnecessary extra move' — do something redundant that wasn't needed.
6	What is the difference between 尽管……但是/还是…… (jǐnguǎn) and 不管……都/也…… (bùguǎn) in HSK 4?	- 尽管 (jǐnguǎn, 'although / despite the fact that') introduces an established, real fact: 尽管下着大雨，他还是准时到了; - 不管 (bùguǎn, 'no matter / regardless of') MUST be followed by a question word (谁/什么/怎么/多么) or A-not-A / 还是 choice, plus 都/也 in the main clause: 不管天气怎么样，我都要去.
7	How does Question Word Universal / Arbitrary Reference (谁都…… / 哪儿也不…… / 怎么都行) work in HSK 4?	Question pronouns (谁, 什么, 哪儿, 怎么, 什么时候) placed before 都 (affirmative) or 也 (negative) mean 'everyone/anyone', 'anything/nothing', 'everywhere/nowhere': 房间里安静极了，谁也没说话 ('No one said a word').
8	What does '无论 / 不论……都…… (wúlùn / búlùn... dōu...)' require in HSK 4–5?	Formal equivalents of 不管 ('regardless of / no matter'): must be followed by an alternative (A还是B), a question word, or 多(么)+Adj, and paired with 都 or 也 in the main clause (无论遇到什么困难，我们都不能放弃).
9	What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 不知不觉 (bù zhī bù jué) and 不耐烦 (bú nài fán) mean?	- 不知不觉: 'unconsciously / before one realizes it' (time passing or habits forming: 不知不觉已经工作十年了); - 不耐烦: 'impatient / fed up with waiting or nagging'.
10	How does '既然……就…… (jìrán... jiù...)' differ from '因为……所以…… (yīnwèi... suǒyǐ...)' in HSK 4?	因为 states an objective cause-and-effect fact; 既然 ('Since / Now that [already agreed fact]...') takes an already known premise as the starting point and uses the second clause (with 就/也/还) to propose a logical deduction, suggestion, or rhetorical question: 既然你不想去，那就算了吧.
11	What do the high-frequency HSK 4–5 Potential Complements 动词+得/不起, 动词+得/不下, and 动词+得/不了 (liǎo) mean?	- V + 得/不起 (qǐ): can/cannot afford financially or morally (买不起房 'cannot afford to buy a house'; 对不起); - V + 得/不下 (xià): does/does not have enough spatial capacity to fit (这个房间坐不下三十个人); - V + 得/不了 (liǎo, 3rd tone!): can/cannot finish OR can/cannot carry out an action (今天去不了了 'cannot make it today'; 吃不了这么多).
12	What does the HSK 5 structure '何况 (hékuàng) / 更不用说' vs. '尚且 (shàngqiě)……，何况……' express?	'Even [harder/greater case A is true], let alone / much less [easier/smaller case B]': 连专业运动员都觉得累，何况我们这些普通人呢？
13	How is the 被 (bèi) Passive Construction formed in HSK 4, and how does it differ from 让 (ràng) and 叫 (jiào)?	Structure: Receiver (Subject) + 被 + (Agent) + Verb + Complement/了 (我的钱包被小偷拿走了). With 被, the Agent can be omitted (钱包被偷了); with 让 (ràng), 叫 (jiào), or 给 (gěi) in spoken passive, the Agent MUST be explicitly stated (我的自行车让人骑走了).
14	What is the difference between 原来 (yuánlái) and 本来 (běnlái) in HSK 4?	- 原来: 1. 'originally/formerly' (noun/adj), 2. 'so it turns out that! [sudden realization of a previously unknown truth]' (原来是你呀！); - 本来: 1. 'originally (in the initial plan before something changed)' (我本来想今天去，可是下雨了), 2. 'of course / as it should be' (本来就应该这样).
15	What is the difference between 由 (yóu), 由于 (yóuyú), and 通过 (tōngguò) in HSK 4–5?	- 由 + Person/Component: introduces the person responsible for a task OR the components making up a whole (这次会议由李经理主持; 由三部分组成); - 由于: formal preposition/conjunction meaning 'owing to / because of' (由于天气原因，航班延误了); - 通过 + Means/Channel: 'by means of / through' (通过这次实习，我学到了很多东西).
16	What is the difference between a Resultative Complement (结果补语: 看懂) and a Potential Complement (可能补语: 看得懂 / 看不懂)?	- Resultative Complement (Verb + Result: 看懂, 做完, 买到, 听清楚) states whether an actual result happened (negated with 没: 没看懂); - Potential Complement inserts 得 (affirmative) or 不 (negative) between Verb and Result to express whether an outcome is achievable given ability/conditions (看得懂 'can understand' / 看不懂 'cannot understand').
17	In HSK 4–5 Reading & Writing (Word Order Rearrangement 排列顺序), what is the golden rule for ordering clauses?	Mandarin follows the Principle of Temporal & Logical Iconicity: Cause BEFORE Effect (因为/由于 -> 所以/因此), Condition BEFORE Result (只要/只有/无论 -> 就/才/都), Background/Concession BEFORE Main Claim (虽然/尽管 -> 但是), and General Topic BEFORE Specific Comment.
18	What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 自相矛盾 (zì xiāng máo dùn) and 莫名其妙 (mò míng qí miào) mean?	- 自相矛盾: 'one's spear and shield contradict each other' — be self-contradictory in one's words or actions; - 莫名其妙: 'no one can explain its mystery' — baffling, inexplicable, or odd without apparent reason.
19	How do '非……不可 (fēi... bùkě)' and '可……可不……' work in HSK 5?	'非 + Verb/Clause + 不可' is a double negative expressing firm determination or necessity ('simply must... / nothing less than...': 这件事我非弄清楚不可).
20	What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 入乡随俗 (rù xiāng suí sú) and 一举两得 (yì jǔ liǎng dé) mean?	- 入乡随俗: 'when entering a village, follow its customs' ('When in Rome, do as the Romans do'); - 一举两得: 'achieve two goals with a single action' ('kill two birds with one stone').
21	How does Correlative Question Word Pairing (谁……谁…… / 哪儿……哪儿…… / 什么……什么……) work in HSK 4?	Repeating the same question word in two clauses means 'whoever... that person...', 'wherever... there...', 'whatever... that...': 谁想去谁就报名 ('Whoever wants to go can sign up'); 哪儿凉快哪儿呆着去.
22	How do '不但/不仅……而且/还……' and '不但不/没……反而…… (fǎn'ér)' work in HSK 4?	- 不但/不仅 A，而且 B: 'Not only A, but also B' (same subject goes BEFORE 不但; two different subjects go AFTER 不但); - 不但不/没 A，反而 B: 'Not only did X not happen, on the contrary [the opposite happened]': 吃了药以后，他的病不但没好，反而更严重了.
23	What is the difference between 只要……就…… (zhǐyào... jiù...) and 只有……才…… (zhǐyǒu... cái...)?	- 只要 A 就 B ('As long as A, then B' — Sufficient condition): A is an easy or sufficient trigger for B (只要你努力，就一定能学好); - 只有 A 才 B ('Only if A, then B' — Necessary/Exclusive condition): A is the sole indispensable prerequisite for B (只有多练习，才能提高口语).
24	What is the difference between 千万 (qiānwàn), 一定 (yídìng), and 难免 (nánmiǎn) in HSK 4–5?	- 千万: used almost exclusively in imperatives and negative warnings ('by all means / whatever you do, don't...': 千万别忘了带护照); - 一定: 'definitely/certainly' (adverb) or 'a certain level of' (attributive adjective: 有一定的基础); - 难免: 'hard to avoid / bound to happen' (说外语难免会犯错误).
25	What does the HSK 4–5 Chengyu 马到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng) and 半途而废 (bàn tú ér fèi) mean?	- 马到成功: 'win instant success upon the arrival of one's warhorse' — used to wish someone immediate success in an exam or venture; - 半途而废: 'give up halfway' — start a task but fail to persevere to completion.
26	What is the difference between 到底 (dàodǐ) and 终于 (zhōngyú) in HSK 4?	- 终于 ('finally / at long last') is used in declarative sentences for a long-awaited, usually positive outcome (春天终于来了); - 到底 ('on earth / after all') is used in strong questions to press for an answer (你到底去不去？ — never use 到底 in a 吗 yes/no question!) OR with 坚持到底 ('persevere to the very end').
27	What is the difference between 居然 / 竟然 (jūrán / jìngrán) and 果然 (guǒrán) in HSK 4?	- 居然 / 竟然 ('unexpectedly / to one's surprise'): outcome is the exact OPPOSITE of what was expected (这么简单的题，他竟然做错了); - 果然 ('sure enough / just as expected'): outcome confirms what was previously predicted or rumored (天气预报说今天有雨，下午果然下起来了).
28	What do the HSK 5 Chengyu 讨价还价 (tǎo jià huán jià) and 实事求是 (shí shì qiú shì) mean?	- 讨价还价: 'bargain over prices / haggle over terms'; - 实事求是: 'seek truth from facts' — be realistic, objective, and practical.
29	What is the difference between 往往 (wǎngwǎng) and 常常 / 经常 (chángcháng / jīngcháng) in HSK 4?	- 常常 / 经常 simply states that an action happens frequently (past, present, or future: 以后要常来玩儿); - 往往 summarizes a law-like empirical regularity depending on specific conditions (must specify the time/place/condition, and CANNOT be used for subjective future wishes): 春天这里往往刮大风.
30	What does the HSK 5 structure '幸亏 / 多亏 (xìngkuī / duōkuī)……，不然 / 否则 (bùrán / fǒuzé)……' express?	'Fortunately / Thanks to [X], otherwise [bad outcome Y would have happened]': 幸亏你提醒我，要不然我就忘带钥匙了 (多亏 often highlights gratitude toward a person's help).
31	What is the difference between 以为 (yǐwéi) and 认为 (rènwéi) in HSK 4?	- 以为 usually implies a MISTAKEN assumption that turned out to be false ('I mistakenly thought...': 我以为今天是星期五呢，原来才星期四); - 认为 expresses a considered, serious opinion or judgment ('hold the view that...': 专家认为这项政策有利于经济发展).
32	How does the '连……也/都…… (lián... yě/dōu...)' construction work in HSK 4?	Focuses on an extreme example to mean 'even [X]...': 连 + Extreme Noun/Verb Phrase + 都/也 + Verb Phrase (这么简单的问题，连三岁的孩子都知道 'Even a three-year-old knows such a simple question'; 他忙得连吃午饭的时间都没有).