5 · Written Chinese
Written adverbs: jiāng, yǐ, wèi, jūn, jiē
one-character adverbs of the written register
Five single characters that written Chinese uses for will, already, not yet and all.
Speech says 会 or 将要 for “will”, 已经 for “already”, 还没有 for “not yet” and 都 for “all”. Written Chinese shortens them to one character each: 将, 已, 未, 均 and 皆. They are the vocabulary of announcements and notices: 会议将于明天上午举行, “the meeting will be held tomorrow morning”.
将 before a verb announces what is planned or expected. 已 is the written 已经, and in writing it usually does without 了: 已售完, sold out. 未 means “not yet” or simply “not”, and the common written “not yet” is 尚未: 尚未确定, not yet decided. Like 没, 未 does not combine with 了.
均 and 皆 mean “all, both”, and stand where 都 stands, after the subject: 以上价格均包括早餐. 均 is the word of notices and reports; 皆 is more literary and lives mostly in fixed phrases: 人人皆知, everybody knows.
One trap: 将 before a noun that is then acted upon is not “will” at all but the written 把: 请将垃圾放入垃圾桶, “please put rubbish in the bin”. And all five sound like a newsreader in conversation: read them, but in speech use the spoken words.
The form
| will (written) | 将于下周开始 |
| already (written) | 已售完 |
| not yet | 尚未确定 |
| all | 均可免费参观 |
| all (literary) | 人人皆知 |
| the written bǎ | 请将垃圾放入垃圾桶。 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
Jiāng before a verb announces what will happen.
新的地铁线将于年底开通。The new underground line will open at the end of the year.
Yǐ is the written yǐjīng and usually goes without le.
本次列车已到达终点站。This train has reached its final stop.
Wèi means not yet or not; shàngwèi is the common written “not yet”, and neither takes le.
比赛结果尚未公布。The result of the competition has not yet been announced.
Jūn and jiē mean all, and stand after the subject like dōu.
以上价格均包括早餐。All the prices above include breakfast.
Jiāng before a noun that is then acted upon is the written bǎ, not “will”.
请将手机调成静音。Please put your phone on silent.
A closer look
Reading a notice word by word
A typical notice on a museum door reads 本馆周一闭馆，其余时间均正常开放. Almost every word is a written short form: 本, this (our own); 馆, the museum; 闭馆, closed; 其余, the rest; 均, all. In speech the same message would be 我们星期一不开门，别的时间都开.
The pattern is always the same: a spoken two-character word shrinks to one character, and a spoken phrase shrinks to a two-character word. Once the short forms are familiar, notices stop looking like a different language.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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wèi is part of the word 未来 or 未必
it no longer works as “not yet” on its own: 未来 is a noun, the future, and 未必 means “not necessarily”.
我们要为未来做好准备。We need to prepare for the future.
Both are words built from the old meaning — “not yet come”, “not certainly” — that have become units of their own.
How to spot it
- 将
- 已
- 未
- 尚未
- 均
- 皆
Example sentences
本店将于下月一日起停业装修。This shop will close for refurbishment from the first of next month.
您的订单已发货。Your order has been dispatched.
未满十八岁者不得入内。No entry for persons under eighteen.
两种方案均有一定的风险。Both plans carry a certain risk.
这个道理人人皆知。Everybody knows this.
事故原因目前尚未查明。The cause of the accident has not yet been established.
8 more example sentences
明天的航班将推迟两个小时起飞。Tomorrow’s flight will take off two hours late.
演出门票已全部售完。Tickets for the performance are completely sold out.
问题已解决，请放心。The problem has been resolved; please do not worry.
未经允许，请勿拍照。Please do not take photographs without permission.
全体员工均须参加安全培训。All staff are required to attend safety training.
这幅画的作者至今仍未查明。The painter of this picture has still not been identified.
这部动画片老少皆宜。This cartoon is suitable for young and old alike.
会议将讨论明年的预算。The meeting will discuss next year’s budget.
Worth knowing (1)
-
Two written words in a row
Written short forms like to stand together: 均已, all already; 均未, none yet; 已于, already on (a date). Read them one character at a time, and each one gives its spoken partner.
所有乘客均已下车。All passengers have left the train.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English “will” is the same word in a news report and a chat; 将 is not. In a casual question it sounds like a press release. Speech uses 要, 会 or 打算.
Jiāng, yǐ, wèi, jūn and jiē are the written will, already, not yet and all — read them everywhere, say them only in formal speech.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.