Grammar

 

李白少讀書，未成棄去。道逢老嫗磨杵，白問其故，曰：“作鍼。”白感其言，遂卒業。

Lǐ Bái shào dú shū, wèi chéng qì qù. Dào féng lǎo yù mó chǔ, Bái wèn qí gù, yuē: "Zuò zhēn." Bái gǎn qí yán, suì zú yè.

 

The word order

 

• The word order of classical Chinese is basically S+V+O. S means the subject, V is the verb and O is the object.

 

(李)白	問	其故
Sbj.	V	Obj.
Li Bo	ask	its reason

 

• In addition to the basic elements S, V and O, there may be some other elements in the sentence such as Adverbial

 

李白	少	讀	書
Sbj.	Adverbial	V	Obj.
Li Bo	young	read	book

 

李白	道	逢	老嫗
Sbj.	Adverbial	V	Obj.
Li Bo	road	meet	old lady

 

• In some sentences, there are no objects, but verbs or a series of verbs.

 

未	成	棄	去
Neg.	V	V	V
not	finish	quit	leave

 

Ellipsis

 

• Classical Chinese sentences often omit some subjects when the subject is understood in the context. In this lesson, the subject is Li Bo. Therefore, Li Bo is often omitted, or the last name Li is omitted.

(李白)未成棄去。Li Bo did not finish his study and left.

(李白)道逢老嫗 Li Bo met an old lady on the way.

(李)白問其故 Li Bo asked (about) its reason.

(李)白感其言 Li Bo is moved by her words.

(李白)遂卒業 Li Bo then completed his study.

 

• Another subject omission in this lesson is the noun 老嫗 'an old lady' and 'I' before作鍼 'making a needle':

(老嫗)曰：“作鍼。” The old lady said: '(I) am making a needle.'

 

Pivotal Sentence

 

• A pivotal sentence means that the sentence may have two parts. The object of the first part is the subject of the second part.

 

(李白)	道	逢	老嫗
			老嫗	磨	杵
Sbj.	Adverbial	V	Obj. Sbj.	V	Obj.
Li Bo	road	meet	old lady old lady	ground	bar