jíshǐ hěn máng, wǒmen yě yīnggāi zhǎo shíjiān yùndòng, ràng shēnghuó gèng jiànkāng.

Questions & Answers about jíshǐ hěn máng, wǒmen yě yīnggāi zhǎo shíjiān yùndòng, ràng shēnghuó gèng jiànkāng.

What is the function of 即使 and in this sentence? Do they always come as a pair?

即使 … 也 … is a very common pattern meaning “even if / even though … still …”.

  • 即使很忙even if (we are) very busy
  • 我们也应该…we still should …

The here doesn’t mean “also” in the sense of “in addition”; it works together with 即使 to show concession:

即使 条件, 主语 + 结果
Even if condition, subject still + result.

You will very often see 即使 and together in this pattern, but can be replaced by similar adverbs depending on nuance:

  • 即使很忙,我们还是应该找时间运动。
  • 即使很忙,我们仍然应该找时间运动。

All of these are fine; they just change the style and emphasis slightly.


Why do we say 很忙 instead of just ? Does always mean “very”?

In this sentence, before an adjective often does not strongly mean “very.” It often works like a default link between a subject and an adjective.

In simple descriptive sentences:

  • 很忙
  • 很高
  • 天气很好

the can feel weaker than English “very.” It’s often closer to “(quite) busy / (just) busy” rather than really emphasizing very.

If you totally drop in some contexts:

  • 我忙。
  • 他高。

this can sound a bit unnatural or even slightly contrastive (“I’m the one who is busy”, “He is tall (unlike others)”) depending on tone and context.

In your sentence, 即使很忙 is natural and neutral; 即使忙 is not wrong, but 即使很忙 sounds more idiomatic.


Why is placed after 我们? Can I put it elsewhere?

The normal position of is right before the verb or modal verb:

  • Subject +
    • (modal) verb + object

So:

  • 我们也应该找时间运动。 ✅
  • 我们应该也找时间运动。 ❌ (unnatural)

If you add more words, still usually stays before the main verb or modal:

  • 我们明年也会去中国。
  • 他今天也要上班。

In your sentence, 应该 is a modal verb (like “should”), so goes before it:

  • 我们也应该找时间运动。

Placing before 我们 would be strange here, and placing it after 应该 is usually avoided.


What does 应该 add? How is it different from using or ?

应该 means “should / ought to” and often carries a sense of moral or logical obligation:

  • 我们应该找时间运动。
    We should (it’s a good/healthy thing to do) find time to exercise.

Compare:

  • 我们找时间运动。
    • Can mean “we must / we’re going to” (more forceful or planned).
  • 我们找时间运动。
    • Colloquial “we have to / we gotta” (stronger necessity).

So:

  • 应该 → recommendation, duty, what is right or reasonable
  • 要 / 得 → stronger need, requirement, or decision

In this sentence about health habits, 应该 sounds natural and suitably “soft.”


Why use 找时间 to mean “find time”? Could I say 抽时间 or 腾出时间 instead?

All of these are possible, but they differ a bit in nuance:

  • 找时间

    • Very common, neutral, everyday: “find some time (in your schedule)”
    • Broadly used: 找时间看看, 找时间聊聊, 找时间一起吃饭, etc.
  • 抽时间

    • Literally “to pull out time” → to take time out of a busy schedule
    • Slightly more explicit that you’re already busy:
      • 即使很忙,我们也应该抽时间运动。
  • 腾出时间

    • Literally “to free up time” → you clear your schedule / make room
    • Often sounds a bit more deliberate or formal:
      • 为了健康,我们要腾出时间运动。

In the original sentence, 找时间运动 is natural, neutral, and fits the tone well.


Is 运动 a noun or a verb here? What’s the difference between 运动 and 锻炼?

In this sentence, 运动 is used as a verb: “to exercise / to do sports.”

  • 找时间运动find time to exercise / work out

运动 can be:

  • Verb: 我每天运动。(I exercise every day.)
  • Noun: 我喜欢各种运动。(I like all kinds of sports.)

锻炼 also means “to exercise / to work out / to train (the body)”, and is usually a verb:

  • 我每天锻炼身体。
  • 你应该多锻炼

Differences:

  • 运动 is slightly broader: can mean any physical activity or sports, and also political movements (e.g., 学生运动).
  • 锻炼 focuses more on training, working out, strengthening the body (or a skill).

In your sentence, you could also say:

  • 找时间锻炼
    and it would still be very natural.

How does work here? Is it like “let” or “make”?

Here, means “to make / to cause / to allow [something to become …]”.

Pattern:

让 + 名词 + 更 + 形容词
make/let + noun + more + adjective

So:

  • 让生活更健康
    make our life healthier / let life be healthier

in this structure = “to cause” rather than simply “to permit.” Examples:

  • 这件事我很生气。
    This matter makes me very angry.
  • 多喝水皮肤更好。
    Drinking more water makes the skin better.

In your sentence, the subject 我们 is understood from the first clause, so we can mentally expand it as:

  • 我们…找时间运动,(这样可以) 让生活更健康。
    We … find time to exercise, (in this way) making our life healthier.

What does mean here, and how is it different from or 比较?

means “even more / more (than before or than something else)”.

  • 更健康even healthier / more healthy

Comparison:

  • 很健康very healthy (strong degree, but not about change)
  • 比较健康relatively quite healthy / healthier (than average)
  • 更健康“more healthy than before OR than another option”

In context:

  • 让生活更健康
    = make our life healthier (than it is now / than it would be without exercise).

So normally implies some kind of comparison or improvement, explicit or implied.


Why is it 生活更健康 instead of 更健康的生活? Is 健康 an adjective or a noun here?

In 让生活更健康, 健康 is an adjective functioning as a predicate:

  • 生活 (subject) + 更健康 (predicate adjective)
  • life + (becomes) healthier

In Chinese, when you use an adjective after a noun as a state or result, you don’t need 的:

  • 天气很好。(The weather is very good.)
  • 身体不太健康。(The body is not very healthy.)
  • 生活更健康。(Life is healthier.)

You use …的… when an adjective modifies a noun in front of it:

  • 健康的生活 → a healthy life / healthy lifestyle
  • 忙碌的生活 → a busy life

So we could restructure:

  • 让生活更健康。
    Make life healthier.
  • 让我们拥有更健康的生活。
    Let us have a healthier life.

Both are correct; the original just uses the predicate form.


Why is there just a comma between the two parts? Is the subject missing in the second clause?

Chinese often links closely related clauses with a comma instead of a conjunction:

  • 即使很忙,我们也应该找时间运动,
    让生活更健康。

The second part:

  • 让生活更健康

does not repeat the subject (我们), but it is understood from the previous clause. Expanded, it’s like:

  • (我们应该找时间运动,来) 让生活更健康。
    (We should find time to exercise, [in order to] make life healthier.)

This is very common:

  • 我们多喝水,保护身体健康。
  • 早点睡,明天有精神。

So yes, the subject is omitted in the second clause, but it’s grammatically normal and natural in Chinese.


Could we move 即使 after 我们? For example: 我们即使很忙,也应该找时间运动. Is that correct?

Yes, that is also correct, and quite natural:

  • 即使很忙,我们也应该找时间运动。
  • 我们即使很忙,也应该找时间运动。

Both mean the same thing. The difference is mainly focus and rhythm:

  • 即使很忙,我们也应该…
    • Starts with the condition; sounds a bit more formal / written.
  • 我们即使很忙,也应该…
    • Starts with “we”; feels slightly more conversational.

In everyday speech, you will often hear the second version, but the original version is perfectly standard and maybe a bit more “textbook style.”

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