难 + Verb (unpleasant to …)
IntroducedBad taste differs from physical difficulty
- A drink tastes unpleasant although swallowing it is easy.
- this这个medicine药very很difficult / hard难to shout喝。 — difficult / hard难to shout喝 evaluates the unpleasant taste.
A drink tastes unpleasant although swallowing it is easy. What does 这个药很难喝。 communicate?
难喝 evaluates the unpleasant taste. 难喝 is an established word, not a promise that every 难+verb means unpleasant. 难学 means difficult to learn; distinguish conventional evaluations such as 难听 from task difficulty.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is difficult / hard难 + Verb (unpleasant to …). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
this这(measure word)个medicine药very很bad-tasting难吃。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: This medicine tastes bad: 这个药很 ____。
难 + Verb = unpleasant to do: 难吃 = tastes bad.
Read examples in context
this这(measure word)首song歌very很nice to hear好听。
- In the opening example, this这个medicine药very很difficult / hard难to shout喝。: difficult / hard难to shout喝 evaluates the unpleasant taste.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
Which means “good-looking / pretty”?
好 + Verb = pleasant (好看 pretty); 难 + Verb = unpleasant (难看 ugly).
Match each word to its meaning.
难 + Verb = unpleasant; 好 + Verb = pleasant.
Know the boundary
- difficult / hard难to shout喝 is an established word, not a promise that every difficult / hard难+verb means unpleasant.
- difficult / hard难to learn学 means difficult to learn; distinguish conventional evaluations such as unpleasant to hear难听 from task difficulty.
难听 means “nice to hear”.
难听 = unpleasant to hear; 好听 = nice to hear.
In the opening situation: 难喝 evaluates the unpleasant taste.
难喝 is an established word, not a promise that every 难+verb means unpleasant. 难学 means difficult to learn; distinguish conventional evaluations such as 难听 from task difficulty. 难喝 evaluates the unpleasant taste.
Use the distinction
- difficult / hard难to shout喝 evaluates the unpleasant taste.
- difficult / hard难to shout喝 is an established word, not a promise that every difficult / hard难+verb means unpleasant. difficult / hard难to learn学 means difficult to learn; distinguish conventional evaluations such as unpleasant to hear难听 from task difficulty.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Verb phrases.
A drink tastes unpleasant although swallowing it is easy. 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.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.