离合词 (separable verbs)

• 拼音: lí hé cí
• 结构: Verb + Object (basic) / Verb + (了/过/modifier) + Object (separated)
• 汉字拆解: 离 (separate) + 合 (combine) + 词 (word)

含义

Separable verbs (离合词) are verb-object compounds that function as a single word but can be split apart when grammatical elements like aspect markers, duration, or modifiers need to be inserted between the verb and object components.

Common separable verbs include 见面 (meet), 帮忙 (help), 睡觉 (sleep), 结婚 (marry), 游泳 (swim), 跑步 (run), and 生气 (get angry). These compounds must be split when adding 了, 过, duration phrases, or frequency expressions — the modifier always goes between the verb and object, not after the whole compound. Separable verbs cannot take additional direct objects because the object slot is already filled. For instance, you cannot say 见面他 because 面 is already the object; instead, use 跟他见面. This is one of the trickiest aspects of Chinese grammar because there is no reliable way to predict which verbs are separable — they must be memorized individually.

例句

1. 我跟她见过好几次面。
2. 他帮了我一个大忙。
3. 你们什么时候结的婚？

用法指南

语境: spoken, written, everyday

语气: descriptive

正确说法

• 我上周跟新同事见了一次面。
• 你能帮我一个忙吗？
• 她昨晚睡了一个很好的觉。
• 他们已经结了婚，现在住在北京。

错误说法

• 我见面了他。(Separable verbs cannot take a direct object after the compound — 面 already fills the object slot, use 跟他见了面) → 我跟他见了面。
• 她帮忙了我。(Modifiers must go between the verb and object — say 帮了我的忙, not 帮忙了我) → 她帮了我的忙。
• 你结婚了谁？(The object slot is occupied by 婚 — use 跟谁结的婚 to ask whom someone married) → 你跟谁结的婚？

起源与历史

The term 离合词 literally means 'separable-combinable words.' This concept was formally described by Chinese linguists in the 1950s to categorize verb-object compounds that allow syntactic elements to be inserted between their components.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal