Mandarin Chinese reference
写
xiě
to write
Verb pattern · 11 form tables
Mandarin verbs do not change for tense. These tables show aspect, negation, questions and sentence patterns. Short phrases omit the subject; full examples retain theirs.
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Aspect
Plain statement
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | xiěwrite |
Completed action
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | xiě lewrote |
Experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | xiě guohave written before |
In progress
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | zài xiěbe writing |
Ongoing state
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | xiě zhebe writing |
Future
About to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | yào xiě lebe about to write |
Will / can
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | huì xiěwill write; can write |
Negative
Not
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | bù xiědo not write |
Did not
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | méi xiědid not write |
Questions
Yes no question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | xiě ma?do you write? |
A not A question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | xiě bu xiě?do you write? |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Mandarin Chinese entries.