Breakdown of zhè gè yào chī le yǐhòu, bú huì mǎshàng tuìshāo, kěshì wǎnshang yīnggāi huì shūfu yìdiǎnr.
Used when counting nouns or when specifying a specific instance of a noun.
There are also classifiers for people, for bound items such as books and magazines, for cups/glasses, etc.
The classifier 个 is a general one that can be used for any of these.
Used after a verb. Marks that an action is completed.
Questions & Answers about zhè gè yào chī le yǐhòu, bú huì mǎshàng tuìshāo, kěshì wǎnshang yīnggāi huì shūfu yìdiǎnr.
Why does the sentence start with 这个药? Can I also say 这药?
Yes. 这个药 is the most straightforward, standard way to say this medicine:
- 这 = this
- 个 = a general classifier
- 药 = medicine
So 这个药 literally follows the common Mandarin pattern:
demonstrative + classifier + noun
You may also hear 这药, especially in casual speech, but 这个药 sounds more complete and is usually better for learners.
Why is 个 used here? I thought classifiers were for counting.
In Mandarin, classifiers are used not only with numbers, but also with words like 这 (this), 那 (that), and 哪 (which).
So:
- 这个药 = this medicine
- 那个药 = that medicine
- 哪个药 = which medicine
Even though 药 is not literally being counted, Mandarin still normally wants a classifier after 这. 个 is the general classifier and is very common here.
Why is 了 used after 吃 in 吃了以后?
Here, 了 marks the action of taking/eating the medicine as completed before the next thing happens.
- 吃了以后 = after taking it / after you take it
Without 了, 吃以后 sounds incomplete or unnatural in this context.
So the structure is:
- 吃了 = took it / have taken it
- 以后 = after
Together, 吃了以后 means after taking the medicine.
Why is it 吃了以后 and not 以后吃了?
Because 以后 usually comes after the event it refers to.
Pattern:
- V + 了 + 以后 = after doing something
Examples:
- 吃了以后 = after taking/eating it
- 看了以后 = after seeing it
- 下班以后 = after getting off work
So 吃了以后 is the normal order.
Why does the sentence use 吃 for medicine? Doesn’t 吃 mean eat?
Yes, 吃 often means eat, but in Mandarin it is also commonly used for taking medicine, especially pills, tablets, or oral medicine.
So:
- 吃药 = take medicine
This is completely natural in Chinese. English uses take medicine, but Mandarin often uses eat medicine.
What does 不会 mean here? Is it about ability, or is it a future prediction?
Here 不会 expresses a prediction: it will not.
So:
- 不会马上退烧 = it won’t reduce the fever right away
Although 会 can sometimes mean know how to or be able to, in this sentence it means something like will / be likely to.
This is not about ability. It is about what is expected to happen.
Why is 不 pronounced bú in 不会?
This is a pronunciation rule called tone sandhi.
Normally:
- 不 is fourth tone: bù
But when 不 comes before another fourth-tone syllable, it changes to second tone:
- 不会 → bú huì
Since 会 is fourth tone, 不 changes from bù to bú.
What exactly does 退烧 mean?
退烧 literally means the fever goes down or reduce a fever.
- 退 = go down, recede
- 烧 = fever
In this sentence, 不会马上退烧 means:
- the fever won’t go down immediately
- or it won’t bring the fever down right away
So 退烧 is a very common expression related to fever.
Why is 马上 placed before 退烧?
Because 马上 is an adverb, and adverbs usually come before the verb in Mandarin.
So:
- 马上退烧 = immediately reduce the fever / the fever go down immediately
This is normal Mandarin word order:
- 不会马上退烧
- should/will not immediately reduce the fever
Why is there a comma before 可是?
Because 可是 introduces a contrast, like but / however in English.
The sentence has two parts:
- 吃了以后,不会马上退烧
- 可是晚上应该会舒服一点儿
So the comma helps separate the first idea from the contrasting second idea:
- it won’t work right away,
- but by evening, you should feel a bit better.
What is the difference between 可是 and 但是?
Both mean but. In many cases, they are interchangeable.
- 可是 often sounds a little more conversational or natural in speech
- 但是 can sound slightly more neutral or formal
In this sentence, 可是 sounds very natural.
Why is there no subject in the second part? Who will feel better?
Mandarin often leaves out subjects when they are clear from context.
In English, we usually need to say:
- you should feel a bit better by evening
In Chinese, once the situation is clear, the subject can be omitted:
- 晚上应该会舒服一点儿
The listener understands that it means you will feel a bit more comfortable, or more generally the person taking the medicine.
This kind of omission is very common in Mandarin.
Why is it 晚上 and not 在晚上?
Because time words in Mandarin often appear directly without a preposition.
So:
- 晚上 = in the evening / tonight
Mandarin commonly puts time expressions before the verb phrase:
- 晚上应该会舒服一点儿
You can sometimes use 在 with time phrases, but here it would be less natural. Just 晚上 is the normal choice.
Why are both 应该 and 会 used in 应该会?
This is a very common combination.
- 应该 = should / ought to / is expected to
- 会 = will / be likely to
Together, 应该会 means something like:
- should probably
- is expected to
- will likely
It sounds less absolute than just 会.
Compare:
- 晚上会舒服一点儿 = you will feel a bit better tonight
- 晚上应该会舒服一点儿 = you should probably feel a bit better tonight
So 应该会 makes the statement sound more cautious and medically appropriate.
What does 舒服一点儿 mean exactly?
一点儿 after an adjective means a little bit.
So:
- 舒服 = comfortable / feel better
- 舒服一点儿 = a little more comfortable / a bit better
In natural English here, it usually means:
- feel a bit better
This does not necessarily mean completely well. It just means some improvement.
Why is 一点儿 used instead of just 一点?
Why is 一 pronounced yì in 一点儿?
This is another tone change rule.
Normally 一 is first tone: yī. But its tone changes depending on what follows.
Before a fourth-tone syllable, 一 becomes fourth tone:
- 一 + 点 → yì diǎn
So 一点儿 is pronounced yìdiǎnr.
Is 舒服 a verb or an adjective here?
In Mandarin, 舒服 is usually treated like an adjectival verb or stative verb.
That means it can function like an adjective in English, but in Chinese it behaves more like a verb in some ways.
Here:
- 会舒服一点儿
means:
- will feel a bit better / more comfortable
So it describes a state, and Mandarin does not need a word like be before it.
Can 退烧 and 舒服一点儿 both happen without saying 你?
Yes. That is very natural in Mandarin.
The first part talks about the effect of the medicine on the fever:
- 不会马上退烧
The second part talks about the person’s condition:
- 晚上应该会舒服一点儿
Even though the sentence shifts slightly in focus, Mandarin often leaves those subjects implicit because the meaning is clear from context.
What is the overall structure of the sentence?
A helpful breakdown is:
- 这个药 = this medicine
- 吃了以后 = after taking it
- 不会马上退烧 = won’t reduce the fever right away
- 可是 = but
- 晚上 = by evening / in the evening
- 应该会 = should probably / will likely
- 舒服一点儿 = feel a bit better
So the structure is roughly:
Topic + after doing X + result 1, but + time + expected result 2
This is a very common Mandarin way to explain what medicine will do over time.
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