Ch 27 · Lesson 19Mandarin · Chapter 27 · Lesson 19 · Grammar primer
Fractions with 分之, and 总之
The whole comes first: , one third; , fifty per cent. And (in short) and the written (conversely).
The short version
Fractions: the whole first, then
。Bǎi fēn zhī èrshí de xuéshēng chídào le.
Why?Hide
Mandarin fractions say the whole, then (fēn zhī), then the part: (sān fēn zhī yī), one third, literally 'of three parts, one'. Percentages use (bǎi), a hundred, as the whole: (bǎi fēn zhī wǔshí), fifty per cent.
Fractions and percentages: 分之 (fēn zhī)
The whole comes first, then (fēn zhī), then the part: "of three parts, one". English does it the other way round:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| sān fēn zhī yī | one third |
| sì fēn zhī sān | three quarters |
| bǎi fēn zhī wǔshí | fifty per cent |
| bǎi fēn zhī bǎi | a hundred per cent, completely |
In a sentence: 。 (Bǎi fēn zhī èrshí de xuéshēng chídào le.), twenty per cent of the students were late. (èr fēn zhī yī) is a half on paper; in speech, say (yíbàn).
总之 (zǒngzhī) and 反之 (fǎnzhī): 之 at the end
Here (zhī) is the old word for "it", so nothing follows it. Both open a clause and point back at what came before:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
，，，。 | Zhè běn shū hěn hǎo, yě bú guì, zǒngzhī, hěn zhíde mǎi. | It's good and cheap: in short, well worth buying |
，；，。 | Jiàgé gāo, mǎi de rén jiù shǎo; fǎnzhī, mǎi de rén jiù duō. | High prices, fewer buyers; and the reverse |
(zǒngzhī) is at home in speech, for landing a point. (fǎnzhī), conversely, belongs in writing; in speech, say (fǎn guòlái shuō), the other way round.
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| | outside fixed phrases, use (de) |
| | (zhīyī) closes the phrase |
| | (zhī) already does the job of |
| | for "one third", the whole comes first |
Going further: The whole system on one screen and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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