我给你说

[rootfool]

chinlearner83

skylee had explain it very clear in this thread:

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/12969-an-interesting-problem-with-%e6%9d%a5%e6%b2%a1%e6%9d%a5

一句话，这是语言的约定俗成。

Apparently they're incorrect in grammer.But we all know and use them,so they're right.

[skylee]

I have this 2001 edition of "Xiandai Hanyu Cidian" (現代漢語詞典) published by the Commercial Press of Beijing (ISBN 7-100-01777-7). Although it is a bit old, I hope it is authority enough.

On 好 / 好不

　　

On 战败 / 战胜

　　

On 差点儿 / 差点儿没

[skylee]

Do you guys see the photos? How do you like them? Anyone care to type them out?

[HashiriKata]

Yes, I think the photos are fine, artistical enough to win competitions() and certainly clear enough to read, so I don't think the text needs to be re-typed (unless some people'd have problems accessing them).

[gougou]

Split the discussion about language and its rules into this thread.

[skylee]

This is so unnecessary.

[HashiriKata]

This is so unnecessary.

Completely agree! Not only unnecessary, it spoils appetites when done over-enthusiastically.

[chinlearner83]

Thanks for posting that. That's more of what I was going for since I was already fully aware that this happens (hear it a lot, don't see it much though).

I once took a test that had a question that went something like this "XXX差一点没买到". Does this mean the person did purchase or didn't purchase? The problem is when you hear something yet still don't know what it means. If you have to add another sentence to make sense of what happened, why speak that one in the first place? I feel as though I answered correctly (2 answers didn't make sense at all and the other 2 'fought' between the did/didn't). I asked two people that I would consider to be experts in Chinese (both native speakers with language doctorates) this question yet got two opposing answers (and explanations). How would you answer?

[lyndon_k]

What does "你真不是个东西" mean?

this is a sentence that someone express angry emotion to somebody,and he/she thinks that this person is bad.

[Mugi]

I once took a test that had a question that went something like this "XXX差一点没买到". Does this mean the person did purchase or didn't purchase? ... How would you answer?

The person was able to make the purchase (but only just).

[cdn_in_bj]

this is a sentence that someone express angry emotion to somebody,and he/she thinks that this person is bad.

Here's one that would be directed to a man from a woman:

你(真)不是个男人!

It's not as tame as it sounds, and would be considered a severe loss of face for the receiver:

[kelvinzhao]

I am a Chinese,

I explain "大胜" and "大败" in this way,

"大胜" is a common expression in Chinese and most of people can understand what it means.

"大败" is kind of meaning from ancient Chinese, it means make somebody lose, "使....败".

for "差点" and “差点没” , I think it depends what activity next to them, if something bad such as "摔倒". they mean same, if something should be good such as "赶上公车", they mean different.

so "差点摔倒" and “差点没摔倒” both mean "没摔倒"

but "差点赶上公车" mean didn't catch the bus, "差点没赶上公车" mean did catch the bus.

[flyaway]

“你真不是个东西” actually means you are an asshole.

if someone said this to another person, he/she is swearing.