Page:Chinese spoken language.djvu/27

Rh same expression signifies also to dream, they usually say p’a4 maëng3, for making nets. All the above terms formed with chò3, to make, or p’a4, to fashion, often take after them the phrase ki5 nëng5, its man; that is, the man of whom these actions are predicated, and the entire expression is used as a noun, for merchant, trader, &c.

Adjectives.
Adjectives commonly precede the nouns which they qualify; as keng5 sang, a high hill; uong5 ngu5, a yellow ox; ngai5 nëng5, bad men. The adjective may also be placed after the noun, the substantive verb being understood, in which case the adjective becomes a predicate. Such forms are more common than in English, as the substantive verb is more readily understood, and needs not to be so frequently expressed; as, nëng5 ngai5, the man is bad; nò4 hò2, the thing is good; tüò7 huong7, the road is long. In some such cases it is scarcely admissible to supply the substantive verb in speaking, though it must be supplied to give a correct translation in English. An adjective reduplicated becomes intensive; as hò2 hò2, very good; keng5 keng5, very high; ming5 ming5, very plain, clear, or evident; kuong kuong, very smooth, or very luminous. Different qualities are expressed by ordinals; as, Tè7 eh4 hò2, number one good, or first quality; Tè7 ne7 hò2, number two good, or second quality. The Chinese are extravagant in the use of adjectives, using superlatives where intensives only are strictly admissible. Siong7, upper, or superior, and ting2, ridge, or summit, are often thus used.

The following examples will show the method of comparing adjectives: ia2 keng5, rather high; keng5, high; keng5 keng5, very high; ko3 keng5, higher; kah4 keng5, too high; ting2 keng5, highest; ia2 hò2, rather good; hò2, good; hò2 hò2, very good; ko3 hò2, better; kah4 hò2, too good, or remarkably good; ting2 hò2, best; siong7 hò2, first rate, best quality; ia2 pa8, rather white, pretty white; sometimes it means very white.

Nia3 nòi3, a little, or somewhat, affixed to an adjective, indicates a slight shade of the quality; but this form is more commonly used in comparing two objects, and indicates that the object to which the adjective thus modified is applied, surpasses by a little the one with which it is compared. When two things are compared, they are generally connected by the conjunction kaëng7, and the quality expressed by the comparing adjective belongs to the thing first mentioned, though it is placed after both nouns; thus, li2, kaëng7 li5, ko3 hò2, plums than pears [are] better; the same idea may be expressed without the conjunction; as, li2 ko3 hò2 li5, plums [are] better [than] pears; though placed between the nouns, it still qualifies the former noun.