Hi nǐ hǎo, starting from this lesson, we are going to learn a new grammatical concept.
Complement of Result. Please don't feel intimidated by these labels. The concept is actually pretty
simple. Let's start. In chinese, to look for is zhǎo, and to find is zhǎo dào. Now let's
think about what these two words actually mean. To look for means to search for and
it is an action. To find, on the other hand means to search for it and obtain it. The
emphasis is on the result. Does that make sense? You see, to look for is a verb and
to find is a verb result. In english the verb and verb result are expressed with two entirely
different words. But in chinese, the verb result is expressed with the verb plus a suffix
that indicates the result, which is also called complement of result. In this example, the
complement of result is dào, the basic and original meaning of dào is to arrive. But
when dào is used as complement of result, it extends it's meaning to obtain something
or simply achieve the purpose of the action. Here, when dào is attached after the action
verb zhǎo, to look for. Zhǎo dào together becomes a verbal result which means to find.
You search for it and you obtain it. Get it? Great. Now let's add dào after another action
verb tīng, to listen. And then you get the result of listening, which is to hear. tīng
dào. You listen and you achieve the purpose of listening which is to hear. And by the
same pattern, let's add dào after the action verb, look kàn. And then you get the result
of looking, which is see kàn dào. You look at something, and know what they are. This
knowing what they are part is expressed with a complement of result dào. Get it? Basically
when you add dào after an action verb, the emphasis is ruling on the result. Let's take
a look at another example. Now let's add dào after the action verb mǎi, to buy. And then
you get the result of buying, which is mǎi dào. It's a little weird because you are
probably thinking 'if you buy something then you bought it then you achieve the result.'
Well in chinese, mǎi is kind of a tricky word, it means buy or it can mean just mean
going shopping for something. So when you say mǎi dào, you really emphasizing that
you actually purchased it. You actually got it. You can think of mǎi dào as to obtain
something through buying. The emphasis is on the result to obtain it. Too confusing?
Don't worry. Let's take a look at the two words mǎi and mǎi dào in action. If I ask
you where did you go? nǐ qù nǎ lǐ le? You answer I want to buy a strawberry phone.
wǒ qù mǎi cǎo méi shǒu jī le. At this point, all I know is that you went shopping
for strawberry phone but I'm not sure if you got it. So I ask you did you get it? Nǐ mǎi
dào le ma? Here mǎi dào should be used because you concern about the result of buying,
dào indicates the purpose of the action is achieved. Let's do a quick review. We have
four action verbs and their results expressed with dào. To look for, zhǎo, and to find
what you are looking for zhǎo dào. To listen tīng, to hear tīng dào. To look kàn and
to see, kàn dào. And the last pair, to buy or shop for something mǎi, and to make
the purchase mǎi dào. Great, I hope you have a great understanding, a pretty good
understanding of how complement of result works by now. Jiā yóu, zài jiàn.