3 · 40 words

Verbs for getting things done

Deciding, choosing, trying, succeeding and failing, and what happens along the way.

Many verbs here pair with a fixed set of nouns, and the pairs are worth learning whole: you 参加(cānjiā) an event, 举行(jǔxíng) a ceremony, 提高(tígāo) a level and 解决(jiějué) a problem. English “take part”, “hold”, “improve” and “solve” spread more widely, so a Chinese verb that looks like its English partner may refuse a noun the English verb accepts.

The words

Verb (40)

决定(juédìng)to decide; decisionVerb3

我们(wǒmen)决定(juédìng)明年(míngnián)春天(chūntiān)结婚(jiéhūn)。We have decided to get married next spring.

选择(xuǎnzé)to choose; choiceVerb3

这(zhè)两(liǎng)份(fèn)工作(gōngzuò)都(dōu)不错(búcuò)，我(wǒ)不(bù)知道(zhīdao)该(gāi)选择(xuǎnzé)哪个(nǎge)。Both jobs are good; I do not know which one to choose.

发现(fāxiàn)to discover; to notice; to find outVerb3

到(dào)了(le)家(jiā)我(wǒ)才(cái)发现(fāxiàn)钥匙(yàoshi)不(bú)见(jiàn)了(le)。Only when I got home did I notice my keys were gone.

提高(tígāo)to improve; to raiseVerb3

多(duō)听(tīng)多(duō)说(shuō)能(néng)提高(tígāo)你(nǐ)的(de)口语(kǒuyǔ)。Listening and speaking a lot will improve your spoken Chinese.

With a level or a quality as object: 提高(tígāo)水平(shuǐpíng).

改变(gǎibiàn)to change; changeVerb3

这(zhè)次(cì)旅行(lǚxíng)改变(gǎibiàn)了(le)我(wǒ)对(duì)这个(zhège)国家(guójiā)的(de)看法(kànfǎ)。This trip changed my view of the country.

完成(wánchéng)to complete; to finishVerb3

我(wǒ)终于(zhōngyú)完成(wánchéng)了(le)老板(lǎobǎn)给(gěi)的(de)任务(rènwu)。I have finally finished the task the boss gave me.

保护(bǎohù)to protect; to look afterVerb3

我们(wǒmen)应该(yīnggāi)保护(bǎohù)好(hǎo)自己(zìjǐ)的(de)眼睛(yǎnjing)。We should take good care of our eyes.

参加(cānjiā)to take part in; to attend; to joinVerb3

这(zhè)次(cì)活动(huódòng)有(yǒu)三百(sānbǎi)多(duō)人(rén)参加(cānjiā)。More than three hundred people took part in this event.

举行(jǔxíng)to hold (an event); to take placeVerb3

明天(míngtiān)的(de)会议(huìyì)在(zài)三(sān)楼(lóu)举行(jǔxíng)。Tomorrow’s meeting will be held on the third floor.

Formal; for ceremonies, meetings and matches.

举办(jǔbàn)to organise; to host (an event)Verb3

我们(wǒmen)学校(xuéxiào)每(měi)年(nián)都(dōu)举办(jǔbàn)一(yí)次(cì)音乐节(yīnyuèjié)。Our school holds a music festival every year.

Stresses who puts the event on; 举行(jǔxíng) stresses that it takes place, and can have the event itself as subject.

组织(zǔzhī)to organise; organisationVerb3

这(zhè)次(cì)旅行(lǚxíng)是(shì)班长(bānzhǎng)组织(zǔzhī)的(de)。This trip was organised by the class monitor.

打算(dǎsuàn)to plan; to intend; planVerb3

你(nǐ)毕业(bìyè)以后(yǐhòu)打算(dǎsuàn)做(zuò)什么(shénme)？What do you plan to do after you graduate?

放弃(fàngqì)to give upVerb3

遇到(yùdào)困难(kùnnan)不要(búyào)马上(mǎshàng)放弃(fàngqì)。Do not give up straight away when you hit a difficulty.

解决(jiějué)to solve; to settleVerb3

这个(zhège)问题(wèntí)我们(wǒmen)一起(yìqǐ)想(xiǎng)办法(bànfǎ)解决(jiějué)。Let’s think of a way to solve this problem together.

成功(chénggōng)to succeed; successful; successVerb3

试(shì)了(le)很(hěn)多(duō)次(cì)，他(tā)终于(zhōngyú)成功(chénggōng)了(le)。After many attempts he finally succeeded.

失败(shībài)to fail; failureVerb3

这(zhè)次(cì)失败(shībài)让(ràng)他(tā)学到(xuédào)了(le)很(hěn)多(duō)。This failure taught him a lot.

降低(jiàngdī)to lower; to reduceVerb3

这(zhè)家(jiā)店(diàn)降低(jiàngdī)了(le)价格(jiàgé)，顾客(gùkè)多(duō)了(le)不少(bùshǎo)。This shop has lowered its prices and gained quite a few customers.

The opposite of 提高(tígāo).

继续(jìxù)to continue; to go onVerb3

休息(xiūxi)十(shí)分钟(fēnzhōng)，然后(ránhòu)我们(wǒmen)继续(jìxù)。Let’s take a ten-minute break and then carry on.

出现(chūxiàn)to appear; to turn upVerb3

等(děng)了(le)半(bàn)个(ge)小时(xiǎoshí)，他(tā)才(cái)出现(chūxiàn)。We waited half an hour before he showed up.

消失(xiāoshī)to disappear; to vanishVerb3

太阳(tàiyáng)出来(chūlai)以后(yǐhòu)，雾(wù)慢慢(mànmàn)消失(xiāoshī)了(le)。After the sun came out, the fog slowly cleared.

变成(biànchéng)to turn into; to becomeVerb3

几(jǐ)年(nián)不(bú)见(jiàn)，那个(nàge)小(xiǎo)女孩(nǚhái)变成(biànchéng)了(le)大(dà)姑娘(gūniang)。After a few years apart, that little girl had become a young woman.

失去(shīqù)to lose (something one had)Verb3

他(tā)因为(yīnwèi)一(yí)个(ge)错误(cuòwù)失去(shīqù)了(le)工作(gōngzuò)。He lost his job because of one mistake.

得到(dédào)to get; to receive; to gainVerb3

他(tā)的(de)建议(jiànyì)得到(dédào)了(le)老板(lǎobǎn)的(de)支持(zhīchí)。His suggestion won the boss’s support.

得(dé) is read dé here.

接受(jiēshòu)to acceptVerb3

他(tā)接受(jiēshòu)了(le)我(wǒ)的(de)道歉(dàoqiàn)。He accepted my apology.

注意(zhùyì)to pay attention to; to be careful ofVerb3

开车(kāichē)的(de)时候(shíhou)要(yào)注意(zhùyì)安全(ānquán)。Drive carefully.

Literally “pay attention to safety”, the standard way of saying “take care”.

允许(yǔnxǔ)to allow; to permitVerb3

这儿(zhèr)不(bù)允许(yǔnxǔ)抽烟(chōuyān)。Smoking is not allowed here.

禁止(jìnzhǐ)to forbid; to prohibitVerb3

公园(gōngyuán)里(lǐ)禁止(jìnzhǐ)骑(qí)摩托车(mótuōchē)。Riding motorbikes is forbidden in the park.

The word on signs: 禁止(jìnzhǐ)停车(tíngchē), “no parking”.

改正(gǎizhèng)to correct; to put rightVerb3

有(yǒu)了(le)错误(cuòwù)就(jiù)要(yào)改正(gǎizhèng)。When you have made a mistake, you should put it right.

离开(líkāi)to leaveVerb3

他(tā)十八(shíbā)岁(suì)就(jiù)离开(líkāi)了(le)家(jiā)。He left home at eighteen.

Takes the place left as a direct object: 离开(líkāi)北京(Běijīng).

经过(jīngguò)to pass by; to go through; processVerb3

我(wǒ)每天(měitiān)上班(shàngbān)都(dōu)经过(jīngguò)那(nà)家(jiā)面包店(miànbāodiàn)。I pass that bakery every day on my way to work.

遇到(yùdào)to run into; to come acrossVerb3

我(wǒ)在(zài)超市(chāoshì)遇到(yùdào)了(le)以前(yǐqián)的(de)老师(lǎoshī)。I ran into my old teacher at the supermarket.

Also for problems: 遇到(yùdào)困难(kùnnan).

停止(tíngzhǐ)to stop; to ceaseVerb3

他(tā)一直(yìzhí)没有(méiyǒu)停止(tíngzhǐ)学习(xuéxí)中文(Zhōngwén)。He has never stopped studying Chinese.

More formal than 停(tíng).

达到(dádào)to reach; to achieveVerb3

今天(jīntiān)的(de)气温(qìwēn)达到(dádào)了(le)三十八(sānshíbā)度(dù)。Today the temperature reached thirty-eight degrees.

计算(jìsuàn)to calculate; to work outVerb3

请(qǐng)你(nǐ)计算(jìsuàn)一下(yíxià)这(zhè)次(cì)旅行(lǚxíng)一共(yígòng)花(huā)了(le)多少(duōshao)钱(qián)。Please work out how much this trip cost altogether.

估计(gūjì)to estimate; to reckonVerb3

路(lù)上(shàng)堵车(dǔchē)，我(wǒ)估计(gūjì)他(tā)要(yào)晚(wǎn)到(dào)半(bàn)个(ge)小时(xiǎoshí)。The traffic is bad; I reckon he will be half an hour late.

利用(lìyòng)to make use of; to take advantage ofVerb3

我(wǒ)利用(lìyòng)坐(zuò)地铁(dìtiě)的(de)时间(shíjiān)背(bèi)生词(shēngcí)。I use my time on the underground to learn new words by heart.

Can also mean to use a person unfairly.

认出(rènchū)to recogniseVerb3

十(shí)年(nián)没(méi)见(jiàn)，我(wǒ)一下子(yíxiàzi)没(méi)认出(rènchū)他(tā)来(lai)。We had not met for ten years, and at first I did not recognise him.

Often with 来(lai) after the object: 认出(rènchū)他(tā)来(lai).

找到(zhǎodào)to findVerb3

我(wǒ)找(zhǎo)了(le)半天(bàntiān)，终于(zhōngyú)找到(zhǎodào)了(le)眼镜(yǎnjìng)。I searched for ages and finally found my glasses.

找(zhǎo) is “to look for”; only 找到(zhǎodào) is “to find”.

进行(jìnxíng)to carry out; to be in progressVerb3

会议(huìyì)正在(zhèngzài)进行(jìnxíng)，请(qǐng)安静(ānjìng)。The meeting is in progress; please be quiet.

Formal; often with an action noun as object: 进行(jìnxíng)讨论(tǎolùn).

修改(xiūgǎi)to revise; to amendVerb3

这(zhè)篇(piān)文章(wénzhāng)我(wǒ)又(yòu)修改(xiūgǎi)了(le)两(liǎng)遍(biàn)。I have revised this article twice more.

This list belongs to The scaffolding — 21 lists and 842 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.