Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Adjectives
Hi Min Nan Chinese learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about adjectives in Min Nan Chinese. Adjectives describe qualities and attributes of nouns or pronouns. They add more depth and meaning to the sentence. For example, in the sentence "The big apple is juicy", "big" is the adjective that describes the apple. In Min Nan Chinese, adjectives usually come before the noun or pronoun it modifies.
Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Say Hello and Greetings in Min Nan Chinese, Pronouns & Give your Opinion.
Adjectives in Min Nan Chinese[edit | edit source]
In Min Nan Chinese, adjectives usually do not change with gender, number, or tense. Adjectives can also serve as verbs in certain contexts. There are two types of adjectives in Min Nan Chinese: descriptive and relational.
Descriptive Adjectives[edit | edit source]
Descriptive adjectives describe the quality or condition of the noun or pronoun it modifies. Here are some examples of descriptive adjectives:
| Min Nan Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 大 dā | /ta/ | big |
| 細 sai | /si/ | small |
| 好 hó | /ho/ | good |
| 親近 chin-kîn | /tshin-kian/ | close |
Let's use these adjectives in some sentences to better understand their usage:
- 這隻貓細 beh kó 粒。 (Zhè tsiah niau sai beh kó li̍t.)
Translation: This cat is small in size. - 我數學做得好。 (Guá sû-ha̍k chòe-tit hó.)
Translation: I am good at math. - 我同朋友親近。 (Guá tông pêng-iú chin-kîn.)
Translation: I am close with my friends.
Notice that in the first example, 細 comes before the noun, but in the last two examples it comes after the verb. This is because adjectives can be used as verbs in Min Nan Chinese.
Relational Adjectives[edit | edit source]
Relational adjectives show the relationship between two nouns or pronouns. Here are some examples:
| Min Nan Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 的 tē | /te/ | of, belonging to |
| 的士 tē-sú | /te-su/ | taxi (lit. belonging to the taxi company) |
| 對 tùi | /tui/ | right, correct, suitable |
| 唔對 m̄-tùi | /m̄-tui/ | wrong, incorrect, unsuitable |
Let's see relational adjectives in action:
- 你朋友的你 beh kó? (Lí pêng-iú tē lí beh kó?)
Translation: Is your friend close to you? - 這個菜唔對我的口味。 (Chit-ê chhài m̄-tùi guá ê kháu-mi̍h.)
Translation: This dish is not suitable for my taste.
Notice that in the first example, 的 is used to indicate belongingness, and in the second example, 唔對 is used to indicate unsuitability.
Comparison of Adjectives[edit | edit source]
In Min Nan Chinese, comparatives and superlatives are formed by adding additional words to the original adjective. Here are some examples:
| Min Nan Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 好 hó | /ho/ | good |
| 好過 hó-kòe | /ho-kue/ | better |
| 最好 tsuì-hó | /tsui-ho/ | best |
| 高 gāu | /kau/ | tall |
| 高過 gāu-kòe | /kau-kue/ | taller |
| 最高 tsuì-gāu | /tsui-kau/ | tallest |
Let's see how these comparative adjectives could be used in a sentence:
- 我媽媽的廚藝好過我。 (Guá má-má ê chhû-i hó-kòe guá.)
Translation: My mom's cooking is better than mine. - 我哥哥是我的最高敬仰的人。 (Guá gó-gō͘ sī guá ê tsuì-gāu kíng-iûⁿ ê lâng.)
Translation: My older brother is the person I admire the most.
Notice in the second example that 最高 modifies 敬仰 which means "admiration".
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: 你覺得這個學校好 m̄-hó? (Lí kiat-ê chhiūⁿ-khàu hó m̄-hó?) (Do you think this school is good?)
- Person 2: 我覺得好。學校環境好過其他學校。 (Guá kiat-ê hó. Hàu-khàu huan-keng hó-kòe i̍t-ē kha̍p-chhàu.)(I think it's good. The environment of the school is better than other schools.)
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Adjectives are important for conveying the quality and attributes of nouns and pronouns in Min Nan Chinese. Descriptive adjectives describe qualities and conditions, while relational adjectives show relationships between two nouns or pronouns. To improve your Min Nan Chinese Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions! Don't forget to check out more resources on our Min Nan ChineseGrammar page. 😃
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Well done on mastering this lesson! Don't miss these related pages to expand your knowledge: Conditional Mood & How to Use Be.