📚 Year 8 SQA Chinese: Quick Reference Handbook of Formulas and Theorems | Year 8 SQA 中文：公式定理速查手册
Mastering Chinese is much like learning a new system of mathematics: once you understand the core patterns and ‘formulas’, you can build countless correct sentences. This handbook is designed for Year 8 students following the SQA syllabus, presenting the most essential grammar rules in the form of clear, reusable formulas. Keep it close whenever you write or speak, and use it as your rapid-check tool to boost accuracy and confidence.
掌握中文就像学习一套新的数学体系：一旦理解了核心模式和“公式”，你就能造出无数正确的句子。本手册专为 SQA 课程的 Year 8 学生编写，以清晰、可反复套用的公式形式呈现最重要的语法规则。无论写作还是口语练习，都可以随时查阅它，把它作为你提升准确度和自信心的速查工具。
1. The Basic Sentence Structure Formula | 基本句子结构公式
At the heart of every Chinese sentence lies the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, identical to English. This is your default template: identify the doer, the action and the receiver, then place them in sequence.
每一个中文句子的核心都是主谓宾（SVO）语序，和英文完全一致。这是你的默认模板：找出动作的发出者、动作本身和接受者，然后按顺序排列即可。
Subject + Verb + Object
主语 + 动词 + 宾语
I eat apples. → Wo chi pingguo. In this formula, pronouns, nouns or whole noun phrases can fill the slots. Remember that Chinese verbs never conjugate for person or tense, so the verb ‘chi’ remains unchanged.
我吃苹果。这个公式中，代词、名词或整个名词短语都可以填入这些槽位。记住中文动词不会因为人称或时态而变形，所以“吃”始终保持不变。
She reads a book. → Ta kan shu. Even when the subject is third person singular, nothing changes. The simplicity of this rigid word order is your greatest ally.
她看书。即使主语是第三人称单数，形式也不变。这种固定的语序虽然简单，却是你最可靠的帮手。
2. The Time and Place Positioning Rule | 时间与地点的位置法则
In Chinese, adverbials of time and place are never placed at the end of a sentence. Instead, they must appear before the verb, often right after the subject. This ‘front-loading’ habit is a core difference from English.
中文中，时间和地点状语绝不能放在句末，而必须出现在动词之前，通常紧跟在主语之后。这种“前置”习惯是中英文最根本的差异之一。
Subject + Time + Place + Verb + (Object)
主语 + 时间 + 地点 + 动词 + (宾语)
I yesterday at school played football. → Wo zuotian zai xuexiao ti zuqiu. Observe how ‘yesterday’ and ‘at school’ both come before the verb ‘ti’. Never say ‘Wo ti zuqiu zuotian zai xuexiao’.
我昨天在学校踢足球。请注意“昨天”和“在学校”都在动词“踢”之前。绝不能说“我踢足球昨天在学校”。
If you have multiple adverbials, the time element usually precedes the place element. This familiar formula will save you from countless word-order errors.
如果有多个状语，时间词通常要在地点词前面。牢记这个公式，能让你免去大量语序错误。
3. The ‘Shi (是)’ Sentence Formula | “是”字句公式
The verb ‘shi’ functions like an equal sign in mathematics, connecting two equivalent or identifying nouns. It is not used with adjectives—an important exception you will see later.
动词“是”就像数学里的等号，连接两个对等或表示身份的名词。它不能和形容词连用，这个重要例外后面会讲到。
Noun 1 + 是 + Noun 2
He is a student. → Ta shi xuesheng. Negation is formed by placing ‘bu’ right before ‘shi’: Ta bu shi xuesheng.
他是学生。否定形式是在“是”前面加“不”：他不是学生。
Do not use ‘shi’ to say ‘I am tall’. The adjective ‘tall’ does not require a linking verb in Chinese; the adjective itself can serve as the predicate, which is a ‘formula’ we will cover later.
不要说“我是高”。中文里形容词不需要用系动词连接，形容词本身可以作谓语，这也是我们稍后会讲到的一个“公式”。
4. Negation Formulas: Bu (不) and Mei (没) | 否定公式：不与没
Chinese negation relies on two main characters: ‘bu’ for general, present/future and adjectival negation, and ‘mei’ (or ‘meiyou’) for past actions and the verb ‘to have’. Choosing between them depends on the time frame and the type of predicate.
中文否定主要依赖两个字：“不”用于一般情况、现在/将来以及形容词的否定，“没”（或“没有”）用于过去的动作和动词“有”的否定。选择哪一个取决于时间范围和谓语类型。
不 + Verb (non-past) / Adjective
没(有) + Verb (past action) / 有
I do not drink coffee. → Wo bu he kafei. (Habitual, present)
我不喝咖啡。（习惯、现在）
I did not drink coffee yesterday. → Wo zuotian mei he kafei. (Completed past action)
我昨天没喝咖啡。（完成的过去动作）
For the verb ‘you’ (to have), negation exclusively uses ‘mei’: Wo meiyou shijian. (I don’t have time.)
对动词“有”的否定只能用“没”：我没有时间。
These two negative particles are your ‘formula switches’; never mix them with tense markers like ‘le’ in the same clause unless you are forming a specific pattern.
这两个否定词是你的“公式开关”；除非构成特定句型，否则不要把它们和“了”等时态标记混用在同一小句里。
5. Question Formation Formulas | 疑问句构成公式
Chinese avoids complex subject-auxiliary inversion. Instead, you can form questions using three core formulas: the ‘ma’ particle, verb-not-verb pattern, and question-word insertion.
中文避免了复杂的主谓倒装。你可以用三个核心公式来构成疑问句：“吗”字问句、正反问句和疑问词问句。
Statement + 吗 ？
You like tea. → Ni xihuan cha. Question: Ni xihuan cha ma?
你喜欢茶。→ 你喜欢茶吗？
Verb + 不 + Verb ？
Do you eat? → Ni chi bu chi? This formula repeats the verb (or just the first character if it is a disyllabic verb) on either side of ‘bu’. It works for yes-no questions without ‘ma’.
你吃不吃？这个公式把动词（双音节动词可只用第一个字）放在“不”的两侧，用于不用“吗”的是非问句。
Question Word + … ？ (No inversion)
What do you want to eat? → Ni xiang chi shenme? The question word simply replaces the unknown element; word order in the rest of the sentence remains unchanged.
你想吃什么？疑问词直接替代未知成分，句子其余部分的语序不变。
6. The ‘Ba (把)’ Construction Formula | “把”字句公式
The ‘ba’ sentence is a hallmark of Chinese grammar, used when the subject does something to a specific object and disposes of it in some way. It shifts the object before the verb and forces the verb to appear with a complement or result.
“把”字句是中文语法的重要特征，用于主语对某个特定宾语施加动作并使其发生某种变化或结果。它把宾语提前到动词之前，并要求动词必须带有补语或结果。
Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + Complement / Result
I finished my homework. (Emphasising that the homework is dealt with.) → Wo ba zuoye xie wan le. The object ‘zuoye’ is placed after ‘ba’, and the verb ‘xie’ is followed by the result ‘wan’ (finish) and the change marker ‘le’.
我把作业写完了。（强调作业被处理了）宾语“作业”放在“把”后，动词“写”带上结果“完”和变化标记“了”。
This formula cannot be used with verbs that do not imply a disposal or definite change, such as stative verbs like ‘ai’ (love) or ‘kanjian’ (perceive). Always check: does the action transform the object? If yes, ‘ba’ might be your formula.
这个公式不能用于不表示处置或明确变化的动词，比如“爱”、“看见”等静态动词。每次先问问自己：这个动作是否使宾语发生了转变？如果是，就可能需要用到“把”。
7. The Passive ‘Bei (被)’ Formula | 被动“被”字句公式
The passive voice in Chinese is straightforward: use ‘bei’ to introduce the agent, and place the recipient at the subject position. Unlike English, the passive is less common and is often used for undesirable events, though neutral usage is increasing.
中文的被动语态很直接：用“被”引出施事者，把受事者放在主语位置。与英文不同，被动式在中文里不那么常用，且多用于不幸或不愉快的事件，不过中性用法也在增加。
Recipient + 被 (+ Agent) + Verb + Complement
My bicycle was stolen (by someone). → Wo de zixingche bei (ren) tou le. The agent ‘ren’ can be omitted if unknown, leaving ‘bei tou le’.
我的自行车被（人）偷了。如果施事者未知，可以省略为“被偷了”。
The verb in a ‘bei’ sentence also requires a resultative element or at least a clear conclusive marker; a bare verb is usually unacceptable. Thus, ‘Bei tou’ is incomplete without ‘le’ or a complement.
“被”字句中的动词同样需要有结果性的成分或至少明确的完结标记；光杆动词通常不能接受。因此没有“了”或补语的“被偷”是不完整的。
You can also use ‘jiao’ or ‘rang’ in colloquial speech instead of ‘bei’, but ‘bei’ remains the standard written form for exams.
口语中也可以用“叫”或“让”代替“被”，但“被”仍是考试中标准书面语形式。
8. Aspect Particles: Le, Zhe, Guo | 动态助词：了、着、过
Chinese does not have grammatical tense but uses aspect particles to indicate the state of an action. The three crucial particles are ‘le’ (completed action or change), ‘zhe’ (continuous state) and ‘guo’ (past experience).
中文没有语法时态，但用动态助词表示动作的状态。三个关键助词是“了”（动作完成或变化）、“着”（状态持续）和“过”（过去的经历）。
| Particle | Usage Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 了 | Verb + 了 (Perfective) / Sentence-final 了 (Change) | Wo chi le fan. (I ate.) / Tian hei le. (It got dark.) |
| 着 | Verb + 着 (Ongoing state or simultaneous action) | Ta chuan zhe hongse de yifu. (She is wearing red clothes.) |
| 过 | Verb + 过 (Experiential past) | Wo qu guo Zhongguo. (I have been to China.) |
‘Le’ is often misunderstood. Remember that a sentence-final ‘le’ often signals a new situation or change, not just a completed action. Compare ‘Wo kan le shu’ (I read a book, action done) with ‘Wo kan shu le’ (I have started reading / now I am reading, change).
“了”经常被误解。要记住句末“了”常常表示新情况或变化，而不仅仅是动作完成。比较“我看了书”（看书这个动作完成）和“我看书了”（我开始看书了，以前可能没看，表示变化）。
Using ‘guo’ focuses on the experience itself: ‘Wo chi guo kaoya’ means I have had the experience of eating roast duck. It does not say exactly when, just that the experience exists.
“过”侧重经历本身：“我吃过烤鸭”意思是我有过吃烤鸭的经历，并不说明具体时间，只表示经历存在。
9. The Comparative Structure with ‘Bi (比)’ | “比”字比较结构
Making comparisons in Chinese follows a rigid ‘A bi B adj.’ pattern, which is simpler than English but does not use any word like ‘than’ after the adjective.
中文比较句遵循严格的“A 比 B + 形容词”模式，比英文简单，但形容词后不用任何类似“than”的词。
A + 比 + B + Adjective (+ Degree Complement)
I am taller than you. → Wo bi ni gao. The adjective ‘gao’ sits after the person being compared, with no additional particle.
我比你高。形容词“高”放在所比较的人后面，不加其他助词。
To add a specific difference, place a numeral-measure phrase after the adjective: Wo bi ni gao wu limi. (I am 5 cm taller than you.) Never put ‘hen’ or ‘feichang’ directly before the adjective in a ‘bi’ sentence, as it creates a conflict with the comparative meaning.
要加入具体差异，在形容词后加数量短语：我比你高五厘米。不要在“比”字句的形容词前直接用“很”或“非常”，这会和比较义发生冲突。
For negative comparisons, use ‘meiyou’ instead of ‘bi’: Wo meiyou ni gao. (I am not as tall as you.) This formula replaces the comparative marker entirely.
否定比较用“没有”代替“比”：我没有你高。这个公式完全替换了比较标记。
10. Modal Verb Formulas: Yao, Xiang, Neng, Keyi | 能愿动词公式：要、想、能、可以
Chinese modal verbs (auxiliary verbs) express necessity, desire, permission and ability. They always precede the main verb and do not change form, but their nuances differ subtly.
中文能愿动词（助动词）表示必要、意愿、许可和能力。它们总是放在主动词前且不变化，但语义上有些微差别。
Subject + Modal Verb + Verb (+ Object)
| Modal | Core Meaning |
|---|---|
| 要 (yao) | Want, need to, going to (stronger volition) |
| 想 (xiang) | Would like, think (softer desire) |
| 能 (neng) | Can (ability/possibility due to circumstances) |
| 可以 (keyi) | Can, may (permission, possibility) |
Wo yao xue Zhongwen. (I want to/will learn Chinese – strong intention.) Wo xiang xue Zhongwen. (I would like to learn Chinese – milder.) Neng indicates whether circumstances allow: Wo mingtian neng lai. (I can come tomorrow, I am able.) Keyi asks for permission: Wo keyi jinlai ma? (May I come in?)
我要学中文。（较强的意愿或将要）我想学中文。（较温和的愿望）“能”表示条件是否允许：我明天能来。（我有能力/情况允许）“可以”用于请求许可：我可以进来吗？
Negate with ‘bu’ before the modal: Bu yao (don’t), bu xiang (don’t want), bu neng (cannot), bu keyi (may not). Note that ‘bu keyi’ is a strong refusal; ‘bu neng’ often implies inability.
在能愿动词前加“不”否定：不要、不想、不能、不可以。注意“不可以”是比较强硬的拒绝；“不能”常表示能力上的不允许。
11. Adjective Predicate Sentences | 形容词谓语句
In Chinese, adjectives can function directly as predicates without a linking verb. This is a radical departure from English, and it generates one of the most common patterns in the language.
中文里形容词可以直接作谓语，无需系动词。这和英文完全不同，也是中文最常见的句式之一。
Subject + (Adverb) + Adjective
She is beautiful. → Ta hen piaoliang. The word ‘hen’ here is often structurally required when no contrast is implied, acting as a default degree adverb rather than literally meaning ‘very’. Instead of translating ‘She very beautiful’, understand it as ‘She beautiful’ with a rhythmic filler.
她很漂亮。这里的“很”在不表示比较或对比时常常是结构需要的默认程度副词，不是字面意思的“非常”。不要理解成“她非常漂亮”，而是理解为形容词谓语句中的节奏填充词。
For negation, replace ‘hen’ with ‘bu’: Ta bu piaoliang. (She is not beautiful.) The adverb can also be ‘feichang’, ‘tai’, or ‘zhen’ to convey different degrees.
否定时用“不”替换“很”：她不漂亮。程度副词也可以是“非常”、“太”、“真”，表达不同程度。
This formula underlines why you never say ‘Wo shi gao’ – adjectives already contain the predicative force; adding ‘shi’ is ungrammatical unless emphasising identity in a ‘shi…de’ structure.
这个公式解释了为什么绝不能说“我是高”——形容词本身已包含谓语力量，加上“是”是不合语法的，除非是在“是…的”结构中强调身份。
12. The ‘Shi… de’ Structure for Emphasis | “是…的”强调结构
When you need to emphasise when, where, how or with whom a past event occurred, the ‘shi…de’ frame brackets that piece of information. It acts like a spotlight focusing on the adverbial detail.
当需要强调一个过去事件发生的时间、地点、方式或参与者时，“是…的”结构会把那个信息框起来，像聚光灯一样聚焦在状语细节上。
是 + [Detail to emphasise] + Verb + 的
I came by bus. (Neutral) → Wo shi zuo gonggong qiche lai de. (Emphasising the means of transport.) The ‘shi’ can sometimes be omitted in spoken Chinese, but the ‘de’ at the end is essential to signal the emphatic past.
我是坐公共汽车来的。（强调交通方式）“是”在口语中有时可省略，但句末的“的”是必须的，它标志着这个强调的过去式结构。
Questions formed with this structure place the question word inside the frame: Ni shi zenme lai de? (How did you come?) The ‘shi’ and ‘de’ remain in place, and the question word fills the highlighted slot.
用这个结构提问时，疑问词要放在框架内：你是怎么来的？ “是”和“的”保留位置不变，疑问词填入突出显示的槽位。
Remember this formula is not used for future or habitual events; it is tightly linked to completed, known facts. Using it correctly will make your spoken Chinese sound much more native and precise.
记住这个公式不能用于将来或习惯性事件，它和已知的、已完成的事实紧密相关。正确使用它会让你的中文口语听起来更地道、更精确。
Published by TutorHao | Chinese Revision Series | aleveler.com
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