▎著, zhe, (Ptc), used in Manner of an Action (2)

 

Function The pattern V-著 before the main verb, usually action, indicates the manner in which an action is carried out. It can be best understood as ‘to do B while doing A’.

1 他笑著跟客人說話。

Tā xiàozhe gēn kèrén shuōhuà.

He is speaking to the guests with a smile on his face.

2 站著吃飯不好吧！

Zhànzhe chīfàn bù hǎo ba!

It’s not good to stand while you eat.

3 那裡的路很複雜，你還是帶著地圖去吧！

Nàlǐ de lù hěn fùzá, nǐ háishì dàizhe dìtú qù ba!

The roads there are complex. You should probably bring a map.

 

Structures All the verbs before 著 are usually action verbs, whether transitive or intransitive.

Negation：

1 李老師站著上課。他沒坐著上課。

Lǐ lǎoshī zhànzhe shàngkè. Tā méi zuòzhe shàngkè.

Teacher Li stands when he teaches; he was not sitting.

2 爸爸說別看著電視吃飯。

Bàba shuō bié kànzhe diànshì chīfàn.

Dad says you shouldn’t watch TV while you eat.

3 你站了多久了？怎麼不坐著等他？

Nǐ zhànle duōjiǔ le? Zěnme bú zuòzhe děng tā?

How long have you been standing? How come you don’t sit while you wait for him.

Questions：

1 小明是不是聽著音樂騎機車？

Xiǎomíng shìbúshì tīngzhe yīnyuè qí jīchē?

Is Xiaoming listening to music while riding his motorcycle?

2 他是不是帶著兩個大背包去旅行？

Tā shìbúshì dàizhe liǎng ge dà bēibāo qù lǚxíng?

Is he taking two big backpacks with him to travel?

3 他是不是拿著雨傘下樓了？

Tā shìbúshì názhe yǔsǎn xià lóu le?

Was he holding an umbrella when he went downstairs?

 

Usage

(1) This construction is different from the ‘一邊yìbiān A，一邊yìbiān B’ construction which gives two simultaneous actions. Compare the following examples. 一邊 A，一邊 B is used much more frequently, especially in Taiwan.

1 a. 我常看著電視吃飯。

Wǒ cháng kànzhe diànshì chīfàn.

I often watch TV while eating.

b. 我常一邊看電視，一邊吃飯。

Wǒ cháng yìbiān kàn diànshì, yìbiān chīfàn.

I often watch TV and eat at the same time.

2 a. 你不要聽著音樂做功課。

Nǐ bú yào tīngzhe yīnyuè zuò gōngkè.

Don’t listen to music while doing your homework.

b. 你不要一邊聽音樂，一邊做功課。

Nǐ bú yào yìbiān tīng yīnyuè, yìbiān zuò gōngkè.

Don’t listen to music and do your homework at the same time.

Not every verb can be used in both constructions. For example:

3 a. 麵店沒有座位了，我們得站著吃麵。

Miàn diàn méi yǒu zuòwèi le, wǒmen děi zhànzhe chī miàn.

There are no seats available at the noodle stand. We have to stand while we eat.

b. ＊麵店沒有座位了，我們得一邊站，一邊吃麵。

＊Miàn diàn méi yǒu zuòwèi le, wǒmen dé yìbiān zhàn, yìbiān chī miàn.

(2) Usually the V in the V-著 pattern is an action verb. However, some transitory state verbs can fall in this slot too, e.g., máng ‘busy’ (忙著mángzhe), and jí ‘hurry’ (急著jízhe), as shown below. Very few state verbs are transitory or temporary in nature.

1 他忙著找工作。

Tā mángzhe zhǎo gōngzuò.

He is busy looking for work.

2 陳小姐急著準備找工作的履歷表。

Chén xiǎojiě jízhe zhǔnbèi zhǎo gōngzuò de lǚlì biǎo.

Miss Chen is anxious to prepare her resume to look for work.

3 媽媽忙著給大家做飯。

Māma mángzhe gěi dàjiā zuòfàn.

Mom is busy cooking for everyone.