Chinese grammar - Compound verbs

Compound verbs

Compound verbs in Chinese are verbs that are composed of two or more characters, each contributing to the overall meaning of the verb.

These combine a main verb with another verb, adjective, or noun to create a specific or nuanced meaning.

Note that negating compound verbs requires simply adding the particle 不 (bù) before the verb.

— However, for some compound verbs, 不 (bù) can split the verb to imply inability. This will be covered in a later topic.

Examples:
	你帮助我。 nǐ bāngzhù wǒ. You help me. 帮助 (bāngzhù) means 'to help' [verb] + [verb] where 帮 (bāng) means 'to assist' + 助 (zhù) means 'to aid'
	他看见我。 tā kànjiàn wǒ. He sees me. 看见 (kànjiàn) means 'to see' [verb] + [resultative complement] where 看 (kàn) means 'to look' + 见 (jiàn) means 'to see'
	我认识他。 wǒ rènshí tā. I know him. 认识 (rènshí) means 'to know' [verb] + [verb] where 认 (rèn) means 'to recognize' + 识 (shí) means 'to know'
	你认识她吗？ nǐ rènshí tā ma? Do you know her? 认识 (rènshí) means 'to know' [verb] + [verb] where 认 (rèn) means 'to recognize' + 识 (shí) means 'to know'
	她不认识他吗？ tā bù rènshí tā ma? Doesn't she know him? 认识 (rènshí) means 'to know' [verb] + [verb] where 认 (rèn) means 'to recognize' + 识 (shí) means 'to know'
	我告诉她。 wǒ gàosù tā. I tell her. 告诉 (gàosù) means 'to tell' [verb] + [verb] where 告 (gào) means 'to inform' + 诉 (sù) means 'to express'
	他帮助我。 tā bāngzhù wǒ. He helps me. 帮助 (bāngzhù) means 'to help' [verb] + [verb] where 帮 (bāng) means 'to assist' + 助 (zhù) means 'to aid'
	你学习汉语吗？ nǐ xuéxí hànyǔ ma? Do you study Chinese? 学习 (xuéxí) means 'to study' [verb] + [verb] where 学 (xué) means 'to learn' + 习 (xí) means 'to practice' 汉语 (hànyǔ) means 'Chinese language'
	我学习汉语。 wǒ xuéxí hànyǔ. I study Chinese. 学习 (xuéxí) means 'to study' [verb] + [verb] where 学 (xué) means 'to learn' + 习 (xí) means 'to practice'
	我理解你。 wǒ lǐjiě nǐ. I understand you. 理解 (lǐjiě) means 'to understand' [verb] + [verb] where 理 (lǐ) means 'to reason' + 解 (jiě) means 'to explain'
	我吃饭。 wǒ chīfàn. I am eating. 吃饭 (chīfàn) means 'to eat (a meal)' [verb] + [noun] where 吃 (chī) means 'to eat' + 饭 (fàn) means 'meal'
	她看书。 tā kànshū. She reads. 看书 (kànshū) means 'to read' [verb] + [noun] where 看 (kàn) means 'to look' + 书 (shū) means 'book'
	孩子写字。 háizi xiězì. The child writes. 写字 (xiězì) means 'to write (characters)' [verb] + [noun] where 写 (xiě) means 'to write' + 字 (zì) means 'character'
	他每天唱歌。 tā měitiān chànggē. He sings every day. 唱歌 (chànggē) means 'to sing' [verb] + [noun] where 唱 (chàng) means 'to sing' + 歌 (gē) means 'song' 每天 (měitiān) means 'every day'
	她不喜欢我吗？ tā bù xǐhuān wǒ ma? Doesn't she like me? 喜欢 (xǐhuān) means 'to like' [verb] + [verb] where 喜 (xǐ) means 'to be fond of' + 欢 (huān) means 'to like'
	我不认识他。 wǒ bù rènshi tā. I don't know him.
	你不认识她吗？ nǐ bù rènshi tā ma? Don't you know her?
	她不认识他吗？ tā bù rènshi tā ma? Doesn't she know him?
	你不学习汉语吗？ nǐ bù xuéxí hànyǔ ma? Don't you study Chinese?
	我不学习汉语。 wǒ bù xuéxí hànyǔ. I don't study Chinese.
	我不理解你。 wǒ bù lǐjiě nǐ. I don't understand you.