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How to use several adjectives to describe a noun?


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Posted

In English, one can add many adjectives in front of a noun, e.g. "The rabbit lived on the top of the tall, beautiful, snow-covered mountain." I have several Chinese textbooks and grammar books, but they only show how to add one adjective to describe something, e.g. maybe like this: "兔子爬一个高的山。“ Are there some grammar structures that allow more than one or a list of adjectives?

Posted

not sure whether these are correct

兔子住在那个又高又漂亮、积雪覆盖的山顶上

一个又高又帅的男人

一个有钱的、高个子的、有礼貌的、愿意结婚的男人

Posted

Of course u can use many adjectives to describe sth. But sometimes, it maybe seems a little weird like that.

 

Like 一个有钱的、高个子的、有礼貌的、愿意结婚的男人,it's correct in grammar,but we‘ll nearly never say something like that.It's better to seperate it into several sentences to discribe,like this: 他是一个高个子的有钱人,很有礼貌,并且愿意结婚。

 

And I guess,that's why there isn't such structures in chinese grammar book.Cause we just don't use it.

Posted

Yes, too many adjectives sound awkward in many languages. Better stick to 1 or 2.

How about "a little red box", I think 又...又... doesn't work well in this case. Is it 一个小红色的盒子?

Posted

The attributes are arranged according to the features of these attributes, the context and the intension of the speaker/writer. That is ... there's no definite rule but only some patterns that are more common.

For example, 一个①有钱、②个子高、③有礼貌又④愿意结婚的男人, it's more common to change freely the order of ①, ② and ③ OR that of ② and ③; ①她送的②白色(的)③羊毛围巾, a native speaker may place ③ in front of ② (她送的羊毛的白围巾), but ① will remain the first one.
 
ps: the cluster of attributes is rarely seen in early modern Chinese ( let alone in traditional Chinese ) but it's quite common nowadays especially on the Internet.
pps: I agree with chenkai9301. It's better(more formal) to put the central word in front of the attributes----这个男人有钱又个子高,有礼貌还愿意结婚。
 
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1)一个红色的小盒子 or 2)一个小巧的红盒子, the quantifier is usually the first one, but the order of 红 and 小 is undecided. In the former case 小 is monosyllabic therefore it's more natural to place it right in front of 盒子, and 红 for the same reason in the latter.

Posted

Is it 一个小红色的盒子?

 

一个红色的小盒子 sounds more grammatical to me. 

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