Particles

Question 1

既 - ji4

Answer 1

aspect:

• gives a certain kind of completion to a sentence; can be translated as ‘already’
• sentences with this particle usually have a second sub-sentence; can be translated as ‘if…,then…’

Question 2

未 - wei4

Answer 2

aspect:

• denotes that the completion hasn’t been reached yet
• is always placed directly behind the verb - 未 verb

Question 3

哉 - zai1

Answer 3

modality:

• expresses exclamation
• is placed in both proposed sentences or question sentences
• usually placed at the beginning of a sentence with a unique kind of verb that denotes a certain feature

Question 4

將 - jiang1

欲 - yu4

Answer 4

aspect:

• function both very similarly
• denotes that a certain action will take place in the nearby future
• can often be translated as ‘just’ or ‘about’
• can be placed together in a sentence to strengthen the above mentioned effects even more

Question 5

也 - ye3

Answer 5

modality:

• final particle of a sentence
• confirms the general correctness of a statement
• the subject of the sentence will usually be translated in plural
• it can also function as a classical Chinese version of the comma ‘,’

Question 6

矣 - yi3

Answer 6

aspect:

• denotes completion in the sentence
• is always placed at the end of a sentence
• can be placed together with 已, but has the same meaning

modality:
- can be seen as the 文言 version of ‘!’

Question 7

已 - yi3

Answer 7

aspect:

• denotes completion in the sentence
• is placed behind the verb - ‘已 verb’
• usually ‘already’ is a good translation

modality:

• denotes a shift in perspective from the speaker
• can be translated as ‘really’ or ‘indeed’

Question 8

而已 - er2yi3

耳 - er3

Answer 8

modality:

• the second one is a contraction of the first one
• means something like ‘‘and that is all’’

Question 9

不 - bu4

Answer 9

• corresponds to the English ‘not’, but it only negates verbs

Question 10

非 - fei1

Answer 10

• used to negate nouns

Question 11

抑 - yi4

Answer 11

• expresses a possible alternative to what was just mentioned, and can therefore be translated as ‘or’, ‘rather’