Level 2 - Lesson 3
Liu Ming comes home tired, then he and Wang Yixue talk about going out together. Later they choose Xi'an and discuss Liu Ming's daily routine.
Contains 4 words
to come back
to go out
to take someone somewhere; to give as a gift
to go back
Contains 5 words
to finish; complete
Contains 3 words
together
Contains 3 words
so; this much; like this
今天回来这么晚啊！
Jīntiān huílái zhème wǎn a!
You came back so late today!
工作没做完，真累。
Gōngzuò méi zuò wán, zhēn lèi.
I did not finish my work. I am really tired.
那洗洗手。
Nà xǐxi shǒu.
Then wash your hands.
我自己拿水。
Wǒ zìjǐ ná shuǐ.
I will get water myself.
明天我们一起出去，怎么样？
Míngtiān wǒmen yìqǐ chūqù, zěnmeyàng?
Situation: At home, Wang Yixue notices Liu Ming came back late and helps him settle in before dinner.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
今天回来这么晚啊！
You came back so late today!
Result Complements
Put a result word directly after a verb to say whether the action becomes complete or reaches the intended state.
Action plus reached result
The first verb names what someone does; the second element states the outcome.
to wash
oneself; by oneself
to take; to hold
hand
why
not bad; pretty good
each; every
tired
How about we go out together tomorrow?
那你想一想。
Nà nǐ xiǎng yi xiǎng.
Then think it over a little.
为什么想去西安？
Wèishénme xiǎng qù Xī'ān?
Why do you want to go to Xi'an?
我看了看网上的介绍。
Wǒ kàn le kàn wǎngshang de jièshào.
I took a look at the online introduction.
刘明每天早上送孩子去学校。
Liú Míng měitiān zǎoshang sòng háizi qù xuéxiào.
Liu Ming takes the child to school every morning.
那他休息休息吧。
Nà tā xiūxi xiūxi ba.
Then he should rest a little.
刘明
Liu Ming
工作做完了，但我真累。
I finished my work, but I'm really tired.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
你洗洗手，我给你拿水。
Wash your hands. I'll get you some water.
刘明
Liu Ming
好，洗完手我就休息。
Okay. I'll rest after I finish washing my hands.
Situation: After dinner, Liu Ming suggests going out together and Wang Yixue needs a little time to decide.
刘明
Liu Ming
明天我们一起出去，怎么样？
How about we go out together tomorrow?
王一雪
Wang Yixue
不错。你想去哪儿？
Sounds good. Where do you want to go?
刘明
Liu Ming
我没想好。
I have not decided.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
那你想一想。
Then think it over a little.
Situation: After checking an online introduction, Wang Yixue explains that a friend there is the reason she wants to visit Xi'an.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
我看了看网上的介绍，想去西安。
I took a look at the online introduction and want to go to Xi'an.
刘明
Liu Ming
为什么想去西安？
Why do you want to go to Xi'an?
王一雪
Wang Yixue
我有朋友在西安，也想看看那儿。
I have a friend in Xi'an, and I also want to see the place.
刘明
Liu Ming
好，我们一起去吧。
Okay, let's go together.
Situation: Liu Ming explains that there is time between the school drop-off and work, then chooses to use that interval to rest.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
你每天早上送孩子去学校，累吗？
You take the child to school every morning. Are you tired?
刘明
Liu Ming
有一点儿。孩子八点到学校，我九点上班。
A little. The child gets to school at eight, and I start work at nine.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
那你送完孩子可以回家休息一会儿。
Then you can go home and rest for a while after taking the child to school.
刘明
Liu Ming
对，我送完孩子就回去休息休息，九点再上班。
Right. After taking the child to school, I'll go back and rest a little, then start work at nine.
Keep the action and result together. 没做完 (méi zuò wán) negates the achieved result, not the existence of the work.
没 (méi) negates the complete unit 做完 (zuò wán), so the endpoint was not reached.
工作没做完。
The work was not finished.
好 (hǎo) marks a settled result; 没想好 (méi xiǎng hǎo) says that result has not been reached.
我没想好。
I have not decided.
送完 (sòng wán) says the trip with the child reaches completion before the next action.
送完孩子，我还要回去上班。
After taking the child there, I still need to go back to work.
工作没做完。
The work was not finished.
我没想好。
I have not decided.
送完孩子，我还要回去上班。
After taking the child there, I still need to go back to work.
Dialogue 01: Coming Home Tired, Turn 2
Explain unfinished work
工作没做完，真累。
I did not finish my work. I am really tired.
Dialogue 02: Thinking About Where to Go, Turn 3
Say the decision is not settled
我没想好。
I have not decided.
Dialogue 04: Resting Before Work, Turn 2
Complete one task before another
累。送完孩子，我还要回去上班。
I am tired. After taking the child there, I still need to go back to work.
A result complement joins an action and its outcome into one unit: action verb + result complement. In 做完 (zuò wán), 做 (zuò) is the action and 完 (wán) says it reaches completion. In 想好 (xiǎng hǎo), 想 (xiǎng) is the action and 好 (hǎo) says the thinking reaches a settled or ready result. This is more specific than merely saying the action happened: the result complement tells the listener what state the action reached. To say the result was not reached, put 没 (méi) before the action-result unit: 没做完 (méi zuò wán), ‘did not finish doing it,’ or 没想好 (méi xiǎng hǎo), ‘have not decided.’ Do not put 了 (le) after 没 (méi) in this negative pattern.
Verb Reduplication (1)
Repeat a verb to present the action as brief, light, or done for a little while.
A deliberately small action
The repeated verb limits how much or how long the action happens.
Here reduplication describes the action as short. The next subtype uses the same lightness to soften what you ask another person to do.
看了看 (kàn le kàn) reports that a limited looking action occurred.
我看了看网上的介绍。
I took a quick look at the online introduction.
The two-syllable verb 休息 (xiūxi) repeats as ABAB to limit the rest.
我休息休息。
I will rest for a little while.
我看了看网上的介绍。
I took a quick look at the online introduction.
我休息休息。
I will rest for a little while.
Dialogue 03: Choosing Xi'an, Turn 1
Take a quick look before deciding
我看了看网上的介绍，想去西安。
I took a look at the online introduction and want to go to Xi'an.
Dialogue 04: Resting Before Work, Turn 4
Choose a short rest
好，我休息休息。
Okay, I will rest a little.
Verb reduplication can limit the amount or duration of an action. A one-syllable verb may appear as VV, V一V, or V了V; a two-syllable verb commonly repeats as ABAB. 看了看 (kàn le kàn) means someone took a quick look, and 休息休息 (xiūxi xiūxi) means to rest for a little while. This point focuses on the size of the action itself: the speaker is reporting or choosing a limited action. V了V (V le V) places 了 (le) between the copies to report that the brief action occurred. Do not repeat the object; place it after the reduplicated verb phrase when needed.
Verb Reduplication (2)
Use a reduplicated verb in a suggestion or instruction to make the requested action feel small and less demanding.
A small, manageable request
Reduplication reduces the weight of what you ask the listener to do.
Use this form for a real small action. Politeness comes from making the request less heavy, not from adding a formal politeness word.
洗洗 (xǐxi) presents the washing as a quick, ordinary step rather than a heavy command.
你洗洗手。
Wash your hands for a moment.
想一想 (xiǎng yi xiǎng) gives the listener space to consider the choice without demanding an answer now.
那你想一想。
Then think it over a little.
你洗洗手。
Wash your hands for a moment.
那你想一想。
Then think it over a little.
Dialogue 01: Coming Home Tired, Turn 3
Suggest a quick routine action
我给你拿水吧，你洗洗手。
I'll get you some water; wash your hands.
Dialogue 02: Thinking About Where to Go, Turn 4
Suggest a little more thinking
那你想一想。
Then think it over a little.
The same limited-action forms can do a conversational job: they soften a suggestion or instruction by presenting it as a small, manageable action. 洗洗手 (xǐxi shǒu) sounds lighter than a bare command because it asks for a quick routine action. 想一想 (xiǎng yi xiǎng) asks someone to think it over a little rather than demanding an immediate final answer. The structure is still VV, V一V, or ABAB, but the learner decision is different from the previous point: use it when directing or encouraging another person and you want the request to feel gentle. Tone and context create the softening effect; reduplication does not turn every sentence into a request by itself.
Why it matters
The V一V form limits the thinking action and softens the suggestion.
Focus
