B2 · Grammar reference · ASG8QS6H
Advanced uses of "zong"
总 (zǒng) can often be simply translated as "always," but it has other advanced uses as well. It can express "no matter how long or under what circumstances, facts are facts." It can also express "no matter what." It is often paired with other words to form set phrases such as 总会, 总归, 总得, 总要, 总能, etc. It can also be structured together with other unconditional compound phrases like 无论 and 不管. You cannot place it directly after the verb.
- Keywords
- 总 · 总归 · 总得
- Used for
- Describing things
- Classification
- Adverbs · HSK5
Examples (10)
这里是他家，他总会回来的。
咱们总得想个办法啊。
不管发生了什么，人总要吃饭吧。
他是你爸爸，你总要礼貌一点吧。
你拿了人家的钱，总得帮人家做事吧。
你们之间的联系这么少，看起来总不像是一家人。
他这么大年纪了，我们总不能让他一个人去吧？
这么晚了，总不会出了什么事吧？
这件事总不会是内部的人做的吧？
他想带父母去旅行，可是总没时间。
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Summary, structure, classification, and adapted sentence examples draw from the AllSet Learning Chinese Grammar Wiki under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; changes were made. This noncommercial reference is based on an October 2023 snapshot.
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