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Study in the app →Mandarin Chinese · HSK 3.0 Band 3 · Chapter 41
大城市还是小镇 Big city or small town
Three-way conversation on big city vs small town. Teaches 不是 X 就是 Y (either-or) and 要么 X 要么 Y (open either-or).
Hội thoại
不是大城市就是小镇 — Either big city or small town
- 周月 工作以后, 我不是去大城市就是回小镇. After work I'll either go to a big city or back to a small town.
- 王明 大城市好是好, 就是房子贵. Big cities are good all right — it's just that housing is dear.
- 何老师 小镇生活不是太忙就是太安静. Small-town life is either too busy or too quiet.
- 周月 我喜欢空气新鲜的地方. I like places with fresh air.
- 王明 小镇的空气一般比城市新鲜. Small-town air is usually fresher than city.
- 何老师 不是空气好就是交通好, 都好不容易. Either good air or good transit — both is rare.
Hội thoại
要么城市要么小镇 — Either city or small town
- 周月 要么我去城市, 要么我回小镇, 总要选一个. Either I go to the city or I go back to the small town — must pick one.
- 王明 要么房子便宜, 要么机会多, 看你看重什么. Either cheap housing or lots of chances — depends what you value.
- 何老师 我看要么先去城市试试, 要么先回家. I'd say try the city first, or go home first.
- 周月 我要么努力一年看看, 要么先回家想想. Either give it a year, or go home and think.
- 王明 都可以. 别太早就决定. Both work. Don't decide too soon.
- 周月 好. 我再想想, 晚上放下手机好好想. OK. I'll think more — put the phone down tonight and really think it over.
Từ vựng
| 汉字 | Pinyin | Từ loại | Nghĩa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 城市 | chéngshì | n. | city (recall ch30) |
| 小镇 | xiǎo zhèn | n. | small town |
| 要么 | yàome | conj. | either...or |
| 生活 | shēnghuó | n. | life; living (recall ch36) |
| 忙 | máng | adj. | busy (recall Bk1) |
| 安静 | ānjìng | adj. | quiet (recall ch04) |
| 空气 | kōngqì | n. | air |
| 新鲜 | xīnxiān | adj. | fresh |
| 机会 | jīhuì | n. | opportunity (recall ch31) |
| 比 | bǐ | v. | compare; than (recall ch07) |
| 房子 | fángzi | n. | house (recall Bk1) |
| 贵 | guì | adj. | expensive (recall Bk1) |
| 便宜 | piányi | adj. | cheap (recall Bk1) |
| 交通 | jiāotōng | n. | traffic; transport |
| 周月 | Zhōu Yuè | pn. | Zhou Yue (persona — recall ch31) |
| 王明 | Wáng Míng | pn. | Wang Ming (persona — recall ch01) |
| 何老师 | Hé lǎoshī | pn. | Teacher He (persona — recall ch13) |
Chữ mới
| 汉字 | Pinyin | Từ loại | Nghĩa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 镇 | zhèn | (in 小镇 = small town) 小镇 xiǎo zhèn — small town | |
| 般 | bān |
Chữ Hán — viết & nhận biết
kōng empty; air (recall ch04) Viết
máng busy (recall Bk1) Viết
qì air; gas (in 空气) Nhận biết
jiāo connect (in 交通) (recall ch31) Nhận biết
tōng through (in 交通) (recall ch39) Nhận biết
Ngữ pháp
不是 X 就是 Y — 只在两个里二选一 不是 X 就是 Y — "either X or Y, no other"
不是 X 就是 Y 表示"只在 X 和 Y 这两个里, 没有别的". 我不是去大城市就是回小镇 / 小镇生活不是太忙就是太安静. X 和 Y 是同类 (都是地点 / 都是状态). 跟 ch38 的 不是 X 而是 Y 不同 — 那个是纠正 (我不是 X, 我是 Y); 这个是穷举 (只可能这两个). 否定的 yes/no 问句: 不是 X 就是 Y, 对不对?
`不是 X 就是 Y` = "(it's) either X or Y — no other option". X and Y must be parallel (both places, both states). Different from ch38's 不是 X 而是 Y — that corrects ("not X but Y"); this lists exhaustively ("only X or Y"). Confirm with the listener via 对不对.
- 我不是去大城市就是回小镇. Wǒ bú shì qù dà chéngshì jiùshì huí xiǎo zhèn. I'll either go to the city or back to the small town.
- 小镇生活不是太忙就是太安静. Xiǎo zhèn shēnghuó bú shì tài máng jiùshì tài ānjìng. Small-town life is either too busy or too quiet.
- 他不是在公司就是在家. Tā bú shì zài gōngsī jiùshì zài jiā. He's either at the office or home.
- 晚上不是看视频就是玩游戏. Wǎnshang bú shì kàn shìpín jiùshì wán yóuxì. At night it's either videos or games.
Ngữ pháp
X 是 X, 就是 / 不过 … — 让步转折 (三68) X 是 X, 就是 / 不过 … — concession (三68)
上一课 (grammar-01) 的 不是 X 就是 Y 是二选一. 本课的"形容词/动词 + 是 + 同一个词, 就是 / 不过 + 缺点"表示"先承认优点, 再说一个不足". 大城市好是好, 就是房子贵 (= 确实好, 但是贵). 小镇安静是安静, 不过没意思. 是一种委婉的"但是".
Grammar-01's 不是 X 就是 Y was either-or. Here "adj/verb + 是 + same word, 就是 / 不过 + a downside" first CONCEDES a merit, then states a drawback. 大城市好是好, 就是房子贵 (it's good all right, but housing is dear). 小镇安静是安静, 不过没意思. A gentle "but".
- 大城市好是好, 就是房子贵. Dà chéngshì hǎo shì hǎo, jiùshì fángzi guì. Big cities are good all right, just the housing is dear.
- 小镇安静是安静, 就是没意思. Xiǎo zhèn ānjìng shì ānjìng, jiùshì méi yìsi. The town is quiet all right, just dull.
- 这个工作忙是忙, 不过有意思. Zhè ge gōngzuò máng shì máng, búguò yǒu yìsi. The job is busy all right, but interesting.
- 这件衣服好看是好看, 就是太贵. Zhè jiàn yīfu hǎokàn shì hǎokàn, jiùshì tài guì. This is nice-looking all right, just too expensive.
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