EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(Translate into Chinese)

Note.

‘Ah-°ts is a small box in distinction from Siang-°ts, a large box, but as will be seen later the adjectives for large and small may also be used with both of these words.

LESSON IV
Adjectives

Certain words in Chinese are distinctly used as adjectives, but many other words, such as nouns, verbs and adverbs may be used to qualify nouns. In the expression dok su-nyung (讀書人), meaning “a scholar,” we have the verb dok (讀), “to read,” and the noun su (書), “book,” qualifying nyung (人) “man;” the whole expression being literally “the reading-book-man.”

Adjectives may be compared as follows: °tien (點) is added after the adjective to make the comparative degree, and °ting (頂) is placed before the adjective to form the superlative degree. Thus, Positive Degree, “Good,” is °hau (好). Comparative Degree, “Better,” is °hau °tien (好點). Superlative Degree, “Best,” is °ting °hau (頂好).

There are, however, many other ways of expressing the Superlative. Thus we may have °hau-le-°si (好來死), which is literally “good-come death” that is, “good to the death.” This is a very frequent expression.

We have also tsoe °hau (最好) or juh °hau (極好). Very good is usually ’man °hau (蠻好). °Hau-tuh-juh (好得極) means superlatively good.

The adjective °hau (好) has a very wide use. Everything that is good, suitable, correct, or proper, may be said to be °hau (好).