Wednesday, 18 November 2015

Mandarin Review: 成/to become

One of the chapters in New Practical Chinese Reader is called 你快要成“中国通”了/you are almost becoming a "China hand". It is pronounced as chéng, and the character has the same pronunciation and tone as 诚 (indeed/if).

Example sentences of 成 also include 成了明星/he became a star. In the meaning of "accomplish," example sentences are 成不了大事/cannot achieve great deeds; 他是个能成大事的人/he is a great achiever. You can also use 成 to indicate that something is alright. E.g.成!就这么办 / ok, go ahead or 没有你可不成 / (we) are not ok without you. 成 can also mean "one tenth" as in 三成/ thirty percent.

Synonyms include
  • 成为 (為): 成为热门话题/become a hot topic (conversation).
  • 变成: 把水力变成电力/the water was changed into electrical power .
  • 为/為: 一分为二 / divide into two。
  • 做: 用这间(這間)房子做教室/turn this room into a classroom.In Japanese 成 (the na in nasa) can mean to achieve or make. e.g. 大事をなす / to achieve greatness, and 意味をなさない / doesn't make sense.

In Cantonese, 成 means "succeed" and is used in the word 䏲成 /regard as.

It seems to have a positive connotation of completion.

下年我成四年级学生。也留学生。所以,我会在大学宿舍住。

1 comment:

  1. Your knowledge of Mandarin makes me feel rather envious .I so wish I was as competent as you are at it.Unfortunately here I have no ability to learn and improve on what I know due to the War and my situation here.I do hope to continue my Mandarin Traditional course at Sydney Uni when I get back.You have achieved so much in the time I have known you and I always hope for the best for you.Keep using your power for good (^_^)

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