Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 又
Though 又 (yòu) looks simple in appearance, it’s not so straightforward, as it can mean several meanings in different contexts.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to varying uses of 又 (yòu) in Chinese that you may encounter in everyday life.
EXPRESSING BOTH A & B WITH 又
The double 又 (yòu) structure is a fixed pattern in Chinese.
PATTERN
Subject + 又 + Adjective 1 + 又 + Adjective 2
The meaning of this double 又 (yòu) structure is like saying that something is “both… and…” in English.
The only difference is that we can only use this pattern to link adjectives, that is, to give qualities to something. So, for example, if you want to describe someone’s good figure using multiple adjectives at a time, you may say:
他 又 高 又 壮 ，看 起 来 很 健 康
→He was tall and robust. And he looked fit.
It’s important to remember that the two adjectives in this double 又 (yòu) structured sentence shouldn’t be contrasted in feeling. Instead, they must both be approving or both be disapproving. Here are more sentence examples below.
这个房间又大又明亮。
The room is big and bright.她又能干又漂亮。
She is capable and beautiful.View More Phrases
| chinese | pinyin | english |
|---|---|---|
| 这道菜又贵又难吃。 | zhè dào cài yòu guì yòu nán chī | This dish is expensive and unpalatable. |
| 热带地区的气候又潮湿又炎热。 | rè dài dì qū de qì hòu yòu cháo shī yòu yán rè | The climate in the tropics is humid and hot. |
| 小孩子在飞机上又吵又闹。 | xiǎo hái zǐ zài fēi jī shàng yòu chǎo yòu nào | Small children are noisy on the plane. |
| 这里种的苹果又大又甜。 | zhè lǐ zhǒng de píng guǒ yòu dà yòu tián | The apples grown here are big and sweet. |
| 这只小狗又可爱又聪明。 | zhè zhī xiǎo gǒu yòu kě ài yòu cōng míng | This puppy is cute and smart. |
EXPRESSING “AGAIN” IN THE PAST WITH 又
Another common explanation of 又 (yòu) is “again” or “once again.” This usage is also the most common one in chat.
For instance, if you want to express something that has happened again, as in, “oops, I did it again!” in Chinese, you can use 又 (yòu).
PATTERN
(Subject +) 又 + Verb + 了
In this case, it usually expresses an action that has already happened again for (at least) the second time. It doesn’t have to be in quick succession, though.
他又对我撒谎。
He lied to me again.宝宝又哭了。
The baby cried again.View More Phrases
| chinese | pinyin | english |
|---|---|---|
| 我又忘记带电脑来上课。 | wǒ yòu wàng jì dài diàn nǎo lái shàng kè | I forgot to bring my computer to class again. |
| 外面又下雨了。 | wài miàn yòu xià yǔ le | It’s raining again outside. |
| 对不起，我又迟到了。 | duì bú qǐ，wǒ yòu chí dào le | Sorry, I’m late again. |
| 他又不承认错误。 | tā yòu bú chéng rèn cuò wù | Again, he didn’t admit his mistake. |
As you can tell, when you use negative adjectives in this sentence, there is usually an implied feeling of complaining.
Expressing that something is about to happen again with 又 (yòu)
Besides indicating something happened again, 又 (yòu) can also express something is about to happen again.
It’s almost as if it has already happened in your mind. In these cases, it’s quite common for 又 to be immediately followed by 要 (yào), 可以 (kěyǐ), or 能 (néng), and you’ll notice that there’s often a 了 at the end of the sentences.
Here’s the variant structure:
PATTERN
(Subject +) 又要/又能/又可以 + Verb + 了
周末到了，我们又可以出去玩了。
The weekend is coming, and we can go out again.View More Phrases
| CHINESE | PINYIN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|---|
| 今天又要加班了。 | jīn tiān yòu yào jiā bān le | I must work overtime again today. |
| 还没见面多久，我们就又要分别了。 | hái méi jiàn miàn duō jiǔ，wǒ men jiù yòu yào fèn bié le | Tomorrow we will part again. |
| 三月份了，春天又要到了。 | sān yuè fèn le，chūn tiān yòu yào dào le | It’s March, and spring is coming again. |
| 没过多久我们就又能见面了。 | méi guò duō jiǔ wǒ men jiù yòu néng jiàn miàn le | Soon we will meet again. |
EMPHASIZING NEGATION WITH 又
In Chinese, we often use 不 (bù) and 没 (méi) for negation in sentences.
But do you know we can add 又 before 不 and 没 to emphasize the negation?
Well, in this usage, 又 (yòu) is often used to emphasize that something “didn’t happen,” “is not” the case, or “will not happen.”
PATTERN
又 + 不 / 没 + Predicate
Note that this structure is often used in an accusatory context.
And sometimes, we can use it with other expressions like 干吗 (gàn má) to show annoyance.
But this is usually considered a very colloquial expression, and it is sometimes not polite.
我又没吃过，怎么知道好不好吃。
I’ve never eaten it, so how do I know if it’s good or not.View More Phrases
| CHINESE | PINYIN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|---|
| 你问我干吗，我又不知道。 | nǐ wèn wǒ gàn ma，wǒ yòu bú zhī dào | Why ask me? I definitely don’t know. |
| 别总责怪我，我又不是故意的。 | bié zǒng zé guài wǒ，wǒ yòu bú shì gù yì de | Don’t always blame it on me, I didn’t mean to. |
| 外面又没下雨，你带雨伞干吗？ | wài miàn yòu méi xià yǔ，nǐ dài yǔ sǎn gàn ma | It’s not raining outside, why did you bring an umbrella? |
| 这又不关你的事，你来干吗？ | zhè yòu bú guān nǐ de shì，nǐ lái gàn ma | It’s none of your business, what are you doing here? |
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FAQs
What does 又 mean?
The character 又 (yòu) can mean several things in Chinese, depending on the context. The most common are:
– Expressing “both A and B” with 又 (yòu)
– Expressing “again” in the past with 又 (yòu)
– Emphasizing negation with 又 (yòu)
Can 又 be used with negations?
Yes! You can use 又 (yòu) with 不 (bù) and 没 (méi) for negation in sentences. The structure is as follows:
又 + 不 / 没 + Predicate
Is 又 impolite?
Using 又 (yòu) in a negative sentence can often have a negative connotation, especially when used to answer a question. Since this is usually considered a very colloquial expression, it can often imply that you’re slightly annoyed.
What are some example sentences with 又 (yòu)?
Here are some examples with 又 (yòu):
– 这个房间又大又明亮。zhè gè fáng jiān yòu dà yòu míng liàng. The room is big and bright.
– 他又对我撒谎。tā yòu duì wǒ sā huǎng. He lied to me again.
– 今天又要加班了。jīn tiān yòu yào jiā bān le. I must work overtime again today.
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