Mandarin · Chapter 15 · Lesson 9 · Grammar primer
The durative aspect 着 (zhe)
着 marks a continuing state rather than a completed action: 门开着 (the door is open), 他穿着红衣服 (he is wearing red), 笑着说 (say with a smile). How 着 (state holding) differs from 在/正在 (action in progress), the V1着 V2 'while doing' pattern, existential 墙上挂着一幅画, and why negation uses 没 not 不.
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