Potential complement 得 / 不 (HSK 4)
IntroducedAn achievable result differs from permission
- You can understand the text in a particular book.
- this这(measure word)本book书I我read看(can)得understand懂。 — (can)得 marks understanding as achievable through reading.
You can understand the text in a particular book. What does 这本书我看得懂。 communicate?
得 marks understanding as achievable through reading. 看不懂 denies that result, not permission to read. 能 can express ability as well as permission, so it is not a permission-only contrast word.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is Potential complement (can)得 / not不 (HSK 4). 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)本book书I我read看(can)得understand懂。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: (I) can understand this book: 这本书我看 ____ 懂。
Verb + 得 + complement = can: 看得懂.
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, this这(measure word)本book书I我read看(can)得understand懂。: (can)得 marks understanding as achievable through reading.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
看不懂 is about…
It's about the result succeeding, not permission.
Know the boundary
- unable to make sense of…看不懂 denies that result, not permission to read.
- can / be able to能 can express ability as well as permission, so it is not a permission-only contrast word.
能 can express ability as well as permission, while 看不懂 concerns the achievable result.
Do not label 能 permission-only. The potential complement focuses on whether understanding can be achieved.
能 can only express permission, never ability.
看不懂 denies that result, not permission to read. 能 can express ability as well as permission, so it is not a permission-only contrast word. 得 marks understanding as achievable through reading.
Use the distinction
- (can)得 marks understanding as achievable through reading.
- unable to make sense of…看不懂 denies that result, not permission to read. can / be able to能 can express ability as well as permission, so it is not a permission-only contrast word.
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Complements.
You can understand the text in a particular book. 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.