Verb phrases

Original teaching practice. Read one pattern, cover its model and try the questions before checking the separate answer section. Examples adapted from Chinese Grammar Wiki (AllSet Learning, CC BY-NC-SA) retain the course-reference provenance.

to disdain to do sth不屑bù xiè((of time or place) in于yú) (disdain to)

Beneath him

• A famous chef is asked whether he would ever cook instant noodles on TV.
• he / him他tā不屑于bú xiè yúto make做zuòthis kind of这种zhè zhǒngsimple简单jiǎn dān(modifier / structural particle)的devegetable菜cài。 – "He disdains to cook such simple dishes."

to disdain to do sth不屑bù xiè ((of time or place) in于yú) + verb = disdain to, think it beneath one

• to disdain to do sth不屑bù xiè((of time or place) in于yú) shows contempt: someone thinks an action is not worth doing: to disdain as beneath…不屑一顾bù xiè yī gù (not worth a glance), to disdain to do sth不屑bù xièto reply回答huí dá.
• (of time or place) in于yú is optional before a verb: to disdain to do sth不屑bù xiè((of time or place) in于yú)explanation解释jiě shì.

he他tādisdains不屑bú xièto answer回答huí dásuch这种zhè zhǒngquestions问题wèn tí。

Attitude and set phrases

• to disdain as beneath…不屑一顾bù xiè yī gù = consider not worth a glance: he / him他tāto / towards / correct对duìother people别人bié rén(modifier / structural particle)的deto propose建议jiàn yìto disdain as beneath…不屑一顾bù xiè yī gù.
• As an adjective-like word: she / her她tāto expose露出lù chūto disdain to do sth不屑bù xiè(modifier / structural particle)的de(facial) expression表情biǎo qíng。 – "She showed a look of disdain."

she她tāshowed露出lù chūdisdainful不屑bú xiè的deexpression表情biǎo qíng。

Contempt, not inability

• to disdain to do sth不屑bù xiè means "won't, because it's beneath me", not "can't": he / him他tāto disdain to do sth不屑bù xièto reply回答huí dá ≠ he / him他tāimprobable不会bú huìto reply回答huí dá.
• The character is bits屑xiè (xiè), not time and again屡lǚ (lǚ, "repeatedly").

to disdain to do sth不屑bù xiè versus not不bùto wish愿意yuàn yì

• not不bùto wish愿意yuàn yì = unwilling (neutral): he / him他tānot不bùto wish愿意yuàn yìto go去qù.
• to disdain to do sth不屑bù xiè = unwilling out of contempt: he / him他tāto disdain to do sth不屑bù xièwith / and跟gēnthis kind of这种zhè zhǒngperson人rénto speak说话shuō huà.

he他tānot不búwilling愿意yuàn yito go去qù。

Recap

• to disdain to do sth不屑bù xiè ((of time or place) in于yú) + verb = disdain to (it's beneath one); to disdain as beneath…不屑一顾bù xiè yī gù = not worth a glance.
• Contempt, not inability; not不bùto wish愿意yuàn yì is neutral unwillingness.

Practise this pattern step by step.

so that以便yǐ biàn (so as to / in order to)

So we can reach you

• A hotel receptionist asks for your phone number at check-in.
• 请留下qǐng liú xiàyou (polite)您nín(modifier / structural particle)的detelephone电话diàn huà，so that以便yǐ biànwe / us我们wǒ menconnection联系lián xìyou (polite)您nín。 – "Please leave your phone number so that we can contact you."

Action，so that以便yǐ biàn + positive purpose

• so that以便yǐ biàn = "so that, in order to (make it easier to)": the second clause is the purpose the action serves.
• It is formal, common in instructions and notices.

please请qǐngin advance提前tí qiánregister报名bào míng，so that以便yǐ biànwe我们wǒ mencan arrange安排ān pái。

Practical arrangements

• we / us我们wǒ men(把: marks the object)把bǎ(concept of) time时间shí jiānto shift to an earlier date提前tí qián(completed / change)了le，so that以便yǐ biàneveryone大家dà jiā早点儿zǎo diǎn érto return home回家huí jiā。 – "We moved the time earlier so everyone can get home sooner."
• to ask请qǐngto keep保留bǎo liúreceipt收据shōu jù，so that以便yǐ biànsometime日后rì hòuto check查询chá xún。 – "Please keep the receipt for future reference."

please请qǐngkeep保留bǎo liúthe receipt收据shōu jù，so that以便yǐ biànlater日后rì hòuto check查询chá xún。

Positive goals only

• so that以便yǐ biàn introduces a goal you want; to avoid something bad, use in order to avoid以免yǐ miǎn: 带伞dài sǎn，in order to avoid以免yǐ miǎnto get soaked淋湿lín shī.
• It starts the second clause, after the action.

so that以便yǐ biàn versus in order to为了wèi le and good好hǎo

• in order to为了wèi le + goal usually comes first: in order to为了wèi leconvenient方便fāng biànconnection联系lián xì，请留下qǐng liú xiàtelephone电话diàn huà.
• so that以便yǐ biàn / good好hǎo come after the action; good好hǎo is the spoken one: 留个liú gètelephone电话diàn huà，good好hǎoconnection联系lián xìyou你nǐ.

in order to为了wèi lemake easier方便fāng biàncontact联系lián xì，please请qǐngleave留下liú xiàa number电话diàn huà。

Recap

• Action，so that以便yǐ biàn + positive purpose = so that (formal).
• Avoiding something = in order to avoid以免yǐ miǎn; in order to为了wèi le goes first; spoken good好hǎo.

Practise this pattern step by step.

Practice without the models

Choose a pattern, cover its teaching examples, and attempt its questions. Use the labels to find feedback in the separate key.

to disdain to do sth不屑bù xiè((of time or place) in于yú) (disdain to)

0901.1 Complete: “He disdains to answer such questions.” he / him他tā…………to reply回答huí dáthis kind of这种zhè zhǒngquestion问题wèn tí。

0901.2 What does he / him他tāto disdain to do sth不屑bù xièto reply回答huí dá suggest?

• A. He is shy.
• B. He thinks the question isn't worth answering.
• C. He doesn't know the answer.
• D. He answered repeatedly.

0901.3 Build: “He thought others' advice not worth a glance.”

Arrange all chunks: to disdain to do sth不屑bù xiè / 一顾yī gù。 / he / him他tāto / towards / correct对duìother people别人bié rén(modifier / structural particle)的deto propose建议jiàn yì

0901.4 not不bùto wish愿意yuàn yì always implies contempt.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

0901.5 A famous chef is asked whether he would ever cook instant noodles on TV. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

so that以便yǐ biàn (so as to / in order to)

0902.1 Complete (notice): “Register in advance so we can make arrangements.” to ask请qǐngto shift to an earlier date提前tí qiánto sign up报名bào míng，…………we / us我们wǒ mento arrange安排ān pái。

0902.2 “Take a coat so you don't catch a cold.” Which fits? 带件dài jiàncoat外套wài tào，____to catch cold感冒gǎn mào。

• A. in order to为了wèi le
• B. in order to avoid以免yǐ miǎn
• C. so that以便yǐ biàn
• D. so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ

0902.3 Build: “Keep the receipt for future reference.”

Arrange all chunks: ， / so that以便yǐ biàn / sometime日后rì hòuto check查询chá xún。 / to ask请qǐngto keep保留bǎo liúreceipt收据shōu jù

0902.4 in order to为了wèi le usually comes before the action, so that以便yǐ biàn after it.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

0902.5 A hotel receptionist asks for your phone number at check-in. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

A fresh situation

R1. Interpret and repair. A learner interprets he / him他tā不屑于bú xiè yúa dispute争辩zhēng biàn as saying he is unable to argue. What does the attitude word add?

R2. Use it yourself. Write a neutral purpose sentence using so that以便yǐ biàn and an attitude statement using 不屑于bú xiè yú.

Write your responses before opening the key. Compare meaning as well as form; a different valid answer need not copy the model.