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LEARN + CHINESE / 249 of 300 HSK 7–9

Formal Connections and a Literary Finish例 · 不同之处在于：他比你更努力工作

In a formal heading, 国家之未来 (“the country’s future”) may use 之 where everyday speech would use 的. A writer might also finish with 而已 or 矣 for a literary or set tone. These forms help you read formal prose; in casual conversation, 的 and ordinary sentence endings are the usual choices.

不同之处在于：他比你更努力工作。
bùtóng zhī chǔzài yú ： tā bǐ nǐ gèng nǔlì gōngzuò。
The difference is that he works harder than you.
我只是问问而已。
wǒ zhǐshì wènwen éryǐ.
I was only asking.
事已成矣。
shì yǐ chéng yǐ。
The matter is already done.

Vocabulary

ChineseEnglish
zhī
it; him; her (classical pronoun)
éryǐ
that's all; nothing more
yǐ
final particle
bùtóng
different
nǔlì
hardworking; strive
zhǐshì
only; just; but
zàiyú
to lie in; depend on
chǔzài
to be in (a situation)
gōngzuò
to work; job
dǎ diànhuà
to make a phone call
de
(adverbial particle -ly)
dìshang
on the ground
hǎochī
delicious
hǎowánr
fun; amusing
jiào
to be called; to call
kànjiàn
to see (result)
tīngdào
to hear (result)
xiàchē
to get off (vehicle)
zhǎo
to look for; find
de
(complement particle)

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