Skip main navigation

Introducing the time-measure complement

In this video, the time-measure complement will be explained by Dr Li.
18.8
The people in the video ate hotpot for an hour and a half. In Chinese, we can say, Tāmen chīle yígè bàn xiǎoshí.
30.1
This is the grammar we are going to learn, the time-measure complement, shíliàng bǔyǔ. Here are some examples. Wang Xiaobao took a plane for two hours. Wáng Xiǎobǎo zuò le liǎngge xiǎoshí.
50.7
Then, he took the metro for an hour. Wáng Xiǎobǎo zhàn le yíge xiǎoshí.
59.1
When he got off the metro, he walked 30 minutes to school. Wáng Xiǎobǎo zǒu le sānshí fēnzhōng.
68.4
The structure of these sentences is subject plus verb plus le plus time-measure complement. This structure indicates that the duration of an action or state. Pay attention to the fact that only that the durations can be used as time-measure accompaniments, such as liǎngge xiǎoshí, yígexiǎoshí, sānshí fēnzhōng. Now, let’s re-arrange the following sentences into the right order. Lǐ Míng lǚxíng le liǎngge xīngqī.
115
Ān nà děng le sìshí fēnzhōng.
122.6
Dà wèi shùi le yíge xiǎoshí.
129.7
The sentences that we’ve seen so far have not had objects. If a sentence does have an object, the structure for expressing duration changed. Notice that the verb is repeated after the object and is followed that by the time phrase. For example, Lìli chīfàn chī le shíwǔ fēnzhōng. or Lìli fàn chī le shíwǔ fēnzhōng..
161.4
The structure of these sentences is subject plus verb plus object plus repeated the verb plus le plus time-measure complement. The interrogative form of the time-measure complement often uses the phrase, duō cháng shíjiān.
186.3
Lìli chīfàn chī le duōcháng shíjiān?
190.4
Lìli chīfàn chī le shíwǔ fēnzhōng.
195.3
Now, listen to our dialogue.
199.6
Wáng Xiǎobǎonǐ zuótiān zěnme méi qù túshūguǎn Zuótiān zài jiā kàn jīngjù. WàJīngjù yǒu yìsi mɑ? Yǒu yìsiZuótiān kànle yìtiānNǐ neNǐ zuò le shénme?
211.5
Zuótiān wǒ shuì le yíge shàngwǔ,chīfàn chī le bànge xiǎoshí.
216
Chīwán fàn qù le túshūguǎn,zuò zuòyè zuò le yíge xiàwǔ.
221.5
Zhēn lèi ɑ

In this video we learn the time-measure complement, “Shíliàng bǔyǔ”. If we want to indicate the duration of an action or state,we can use the time-measure complement. For example:

Wang Xiaobao took a plane for two hours.

We can translate it into Chinese in the following three ways:

王小宝坐了两个小时。
Wáng Xiǎobǎo zuò le liǎngge xiǎoshí.

王小宝坐了两个小时(的)飞机。
Wáng Xiǎobǎo zuò le liǎngge xiǎoshí(de)fēijī.

王小宝坐飞机坐了两个小时。
Wáng Xiǎobǎo zuòfēijī zuòle liǎngge xiǎoshí.

The structures of these sentences are:

S + Verb + “le” + time-measure complement” (No object)

S + (Verb) + “le” + Time-measure Complement +(的)+ O (have an object)

S + (Verb) + O + Repeated Verb + “le” + Time-measure Complement.
(have an object).

These three structures are all forms of time-measure complements. You can use any of them to indicate the duration of an action or a state. But pay attention to the fact that only the durations can be used as time-measure complements, such as “liǎngge xiǎoshí” .

The interrogative form of the time-measure complement often uses the phrase “多长时间duō cháng shíjiān”(How long).

丽丽吃饭吃了多长时间?
Lìli chīfàn chī le duōcháng shíjiān?
How long did Lily eat?

丽丽吃饭吃了十五分钟。
Lìli chīfàn chī le shíwǔ fēnzhōng.
Lily ate for fifteen minutes.

The following is Chinese and English Version of Situational Dialogue in the Video:

西西:王小宝,你昨天怎么没来图书馆?

王小宝:我昨天在家看京剧。

西西: 哇!京剧有意思吗?

王小宝:有意思!我昨天看了一天!你呢?你昨天做了什么?

西西:我昨天睡了一个上午,然后吃饭吃了半个小时。吃完饭我去了图书馆,做作业做了一个下午。真累啊!

Xīxi: why didn’t you come to the library yesterday?

Wáng Xiǎobǎo: I watched Beijing Opera at home yesterday.

Xīxi: Wow! Do you find Beijing Opera interesting?

Wáng Xiǎobǎo: Yes! I have watched it a whole day. What did you do yesterday?

Xīxi: I slept till the noon. Then I had lunch for half an hour. After lunch, I went to the library, doing my homework for the whole afternoon. How tired I am!

© Shanghai International Studies University

This article is from the free online

Learn Chinese: Introduction to Chinese Grammar

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now