HSK 3 • Lesson 2吃点儿什么
HSK 3 • 基础篇Lesson 2 / 25

吃点儿什么

Chī diǎnr shénme
What to Eat
Pattern 1

又……又……

Meaning:Both... and... (co-existence of two qualities)

Links two qualities or actions that occur at the same time and are similar or complementary (both positive or both negative).

Examples
这家饭馆又好吃又便宜。
Zhè jiā fànguǎn yòu hǎochī yòu piányi.
This restaurant is both delicious and inexpensive.
屋子里又干净又凉快。
Wūzi lǐ yòu gānjìng yòu liángkuai.
The room is both clean and cool.
Pattern 2

挺……的

Meaning:Quite / Pretty (High degree in spoken Chinese)

Expresses a fairly high degree in casual speech, similar to 'very' (很) or 'quite' (比较).

Examples
服务员挺热情的。
Fúwùyuán tǐng rèqíng de.
The waitstaff is quite warm and welcoming.
这个菜挺好吃的，就是有点儿辣。
Zhè ge cài tǐng hǎochī de, jiùshì yǒudiǎnr là.
This dish is pretty tasty, just a little spicy.
Pattern 3

V + 得了 / 不了

Meaning:Potential complement of capability/feasibility (Can / Cannot)

Expresses whether an action can or cannot be completed, or whether capacity/endurance allows it (e.g. able to finish eating or not, able to walk there or not).

Examples
菜太多了，咱们吃不了。
Cài tài duō le, zánmen chī buliǎo.
There are too many dishes, we won't be able to finish them.
你一个人拿得了吗？
Nǐ yí ge rén ná deliǎo ma?
Can you carry all of it by yourself?
Pattern 4

一……就……

Meaning:As soon as... / Whenever... then...

Indicates two actions in immediate succession ('as soon as...'), or a habitual condition–result relation ('whenever... then...').

Examples
我一看中国菜谱就头疼。
Wǒ yí kàn Zhōngguó càipǔ jiù tóuténg.
As soon as I look at a Chinese menu, I get a headache.
我一喝啤酒就脸红。
Wǒ yì hē píjiǔ jiù liǎnhóng.
Whenever I drink beer, my face turns red.
Pattern 5

这么 + Adj

Meaning:So / Such (Emphasis / Vivid expression)

'这么' before an adjective expresses a high degree with an exclamatory, slightly exaggerated tone that makes speech more vivid.

Examples
没想到你们这么会点菜！
Méi xiǎngdào nǐmen zhème huì diǎncài!
I didn't expect you all to be so good at ordering dishes!
生词这么多，今天学不完了。
Shēngcí zhème duō, jīntiān xué bu wán le.
There are so many new words, we can't finish studying them today.
Pattern 6

有一点点

Meaning:Just a little bit (Slight understatement)

Indicates a milder degree than '有一点儿', often used for gentle suggestions or describing small flaws.

Examples
这个菜就是有一点点咸。
Zhè ge cài jiùshì yǒu yì diǎndiǎn xián.
This dish is just a tiny bit salty.
在这里住不错，就是有一点点远。
Zài zhèlǐ zhù búcuò, jiùshì yǒu yì diǎndiǎn yuǎn.
Living here is great, just a tiny bit far away.