补语的种类
Verb + Complements
Types of Complements
Descriptive
• How or to what degree the action took place
• (V-O) V 得 (很) Adj. ; (V-O) V 得 不 Adj.
Resultative
• Whether the result of the action has been achieved
• V Comp (了); 沒 V Comp
Potential
• Whether the result has the potential to be achieved
• V 得 Comp; V 不 Comp
Directional
• the direction of the action
• (沒) V Comp1 Comp2
补语1 Descriptive:
(VO) + V. + 得 + Adj.

他说话说得很清楚。

我上个星期考试考得很好。
补语2：Resultative Complements
Verb +
Adjective
Another Verb
Denotes the result
of the action
补语2：Resultative Complements
小白菜卖完了。
Verb 卖: action
Verb 完：result
Baby bok choy is sold out.
补语2：Resultative Complements
你找钱找错了。
Verb 找钱: action
Adjective 错：result
You gave me incorrect change.
补语2：Resultative Complements
那个人你看清楚了吗？
Verb 看: action
Adjective 清楚：result
Did you see clearly on that person?
补语2：Negative Form
Resultative Complement
A: 那个人我看清楚了。
没(有)
不
N: 那个人我 ________看清楚。
I didn’t see clearly who that person was.
补语2：Negative Form
Resultative Complement
Rule: 没有+Verb Phrase
那个人我 没（有）看清楚。
I didn’t see clearly who that person was.
补语3：Potential Complement
V. + 得 + Resultative/directional
A result can
be realized
学得会
A result can’t
be realized
学不会
V. + 不 + Resultative/directional
补语3：Potential Complement
五十个饺子你吃得完吃不完？
太多了，我吃不完。
More examples, see P. 173-175
补语3：Potential Comp vs.
Negative form of Resultative Comp
没有 + Verb Phrase
Verb + 不 + Verb/Adj.
没卖完
没看清楚
没写对
卖不完 （too many)
看不清楚 （poor vision)
写不对 (too difficult)
Denotes the
action didn’t have
the result
Denotes that
something prohibits
the action to be
completed
补语 4：Directional Movement
他
走
他
走
• Mover
• Person
• Movement
verb
进
进
• Directional
word
教室
教室
• Reference
Point
More examples, see P. 185-189
来了
来了
• Speaker
Perspective
• 来：
towards the
speaker
• 去：away
from the
speaker
补语4：Common Movement Verbs







走 zǒu
跑 pǎo
开 kāi
飞 fēi
跳 tiào
爬 pá
游 yóu







walk
run
drive
fly
skip/jump/dance
climb
swim
补语4：Common Directional Words








进
到
出
过
上
下
往
回








into
at
out of
pass/go by
up
down
towards
return back
补语4：Speaker’s Perspective
来：indicates movement towards the
speaker or addressee.
 去：indicates movement away from
the speaker or addressee.

补语4：Translate …
他走回家去了。
我的钱，他都拿走了。
妹妹拿来了很多东西。
请把你的中文书带来。
