语法

• Pinyin: yǔ fǎ
• Hanzi breakdown: 语 = 讠(speech radical) + 吾 (phonetic), language/speech; 法 = 氵(water) + 去 (go), rule/method

Meaning

Grammar. The system of rules governing the structure of sentences in a language.

In the context of language learning, 语法 covers rules for sentence patterns, word order, and the use of particles. 语法规则 means grammar rules, 语法错误 means grammar mistakes, and 语法书 means a grammar textbook. Chinese grammar has no inflections for tense or number, making word order especially important.

Examples

1. 学好汉语语法对于提高写作和口语表达能力都很有帮助。 Mastering Chinese grammar is very helpful for improving both writing and spoken expression.
2. 这本书专门讲解英语语法，非常适合中级水平的学习者。 This book focuses specifically on English grammar and is very suitable for intermediate-level learners.
3. 老师在课堂上仔细讲解了这个语法点，大家都听明白了。 The teacher carefully explained this grammar point in class, and everyone understood it clearly.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, language learning

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你的语法掌握得很好，句子写得很流畅。(Your grammar is very solid — your sentences are very fluent.)
• 学习外语时，语法和词汇都很重要。(When learning a foreign language, both grammar and vocabulary are important.)

Don't Say

• 将'语法'与'语气'混淆 (Don't confuse 语法 with 语气 — 语法 means grammar, while 语气 means tone or mood of speech)

Origin & History

A compound of 语 (language/speech; 讠speech radical + 吾 I/me, phonetic) and 法 (rule/method; 氵water + 去 go, originally meaning fair standard). Together they mean the rules of language.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal