了 le

1. le particle completion of an action
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words , Concept: Aspectual Particle 动态助词
   Notes: Traditional: 了; in this usage 了 is an aspectual particle 动态助词. Here 了 is placed after the verb and before its object to indicate that an action has been completed (Guoyu '了' le particle 2; Li Shaoqi, 2003, pp. 430-431; Ho 2002, '了' 1). For example, 他似乎明白了点 'he seemed to understand something.' (Lao She, 2003, p. 218) In this example the verb is 明白 'understand' and the object is 点 '[a little] something.' 了 cannot be used for non-action verbs, such as 喜欢, 是, 像. If there are two verbs in series then 了 should be placed after the second verb. 了 is the third most frequent word in the Beijing Language Institute's 1985 frequency wordlist (Ho 2002, '了').
2. liǎo verb to know; to understand
   Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
   Notes: Traditional: 了; in the sense of 明白 (Guoyu '了' liǎo v 1)
3. liǎo verb to understand; to know
   Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
   Notes: Traditional: 瞭; in the sense of 明白 or 清楚; as in 了解 (Guoyu '瞭' v 1)
4. liào verb to look afar from a high place
   Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
   Notes: Traditional: 瞭; in the sense of 远看 Guoyu '瞭' liào v 1)
5. le particle modal particle
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words , Concept: Modal Particle 语气助词
   Notes: Traditional: 了; in this use 了 appears at the end of a sentence as a modal particle 语气助词. Use as a modal particle differs from use as an aspectual particle after a verb in that a modal particle indicates the completion of the action for the whole sentence. Sometimes a modal particle is omitted if the sentence contains an aspectual particle and the action of the sentence is simple. There are two common uses: 1. 了 may be used at the end of a sentence to indicate a newly emerged condition (Guoyu '了' le particle 1; Ho 2002, '了' 2; Sun 2006, loc. 885). For example, 一切的路都封上了 'All the roads were closed.' (Lao She, 2003, p. 175) 2. 了 may be used at the end of a sentence to indicate a reminder, advice, or urging.
6. le particle particle used in certain fixed expressions
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words , Concept: Particle 助词
   Notes: Traditional: 了; in this use 了 is used in a set of fixed expressions, including 太...了, ...极了, 对了, and 好了 (Ho 2002, '了' 3; Li Shaoqi, 2003, p. 433). For example, 你帮几天忙好了 'Please help for a few days.' (Lao She, 2003, p. 176)
7. liǎo verb to complete
   Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
   Notes: Traditional: 了; in the sense of 结束 (Guoyu '了' liǎo v 2)
8. liǎo adverb completely
   Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
   Notes: Traditional: 了; in the sense of 完全 (Guoyu '了' liǎo adv 1)
9. liǎo adjective clever; intelligent
   Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
   Notes: Traditional: 了; in the sense of 聪明 or 慧黠 (Guoyu '了' liǎo adj)

Contained in

• 挣坏了(掙壞了) to be pulled apart
• 成了 to be done; to be ready; that's enough!; that will do!
• 霑了污秽(霑了污穢) to be spoiled by defilements
• 末了 in the end
• 直接了当(直接了當) direct and plain spoken
• 捡了芝麻丢了西瓜(撿了芝麻丟了西瓜) to let go of the big prize while grabbing at trifles
• 天安门开了(天安門開了) the barn door is open
• 迟了(遲了) late
• 摆了一道(擺了一道) to play tricks on; to make a fool of
• 不干不净，吃了没病(不乾不淨，吃了沒病) a little dirt never killed anybody; a couple of germs won't do you any harm
• 跑了和尚，跑不了寺 the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him; you can run this time, but you'll have to come back
• 太好了 very good
• 受得了 to put up with; to endure
• 了事 to dispose of a matter; to be done with it
• 铁了心(鐵了心) determined; unshakable
• 直捷了当(直捷了當) direct and plain spoken
• 有了 I've got a solution!; to have a bun in the oven
• 没完没了(沒完沒了) without end; incessantly; on and on
• 前缘未了(前緣未了) one's predestined fate is yet to be fulfilled
• 了如指掌 to know something like the back of one's hand ; to understand as [clearly as] pointing to the palm of the hand
• 草草了事 to do something hastily
• 跑得了和尚，跑不了庙(跑得了和尚，跑不了廟) the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him; you can run this time, but you'll have to come back
• 翅膀硬了 (of a bird) to have become fully fledged; (of a person) to have grown up (and become independent)
• 了不起 amazing; terrific; extraordinary
• 为了建设新中国(為了建設新中國) to build a new China
• 心急吃不了热豆腐(心急吃不了熱豆腐) hasty men don't get to eat hot tofu; one just has to be patient; haste will ruin everything
• 一笑了之 to laugh away
• 有了胎 pregnant; to carry a child
• 吃不了兜着走(吃不了兜著走) if you can't eat it all, you'll have to take it home; you'll have to take the consequences
• 吹了 failed; busted; to have not succeeded; to have died; to have parted company
• 进了天堂(進了天堂) to die; to enter the hall of heaven
• 了局 end; conclusion; solution
• 没了结处(沒了結處) an unfinished item
• 大不了 at worst; if worst comes to worst; serious; alarming
• 也好不了多少 hardly any better; just as bad
• 敷衍了事 to do halfheartedly; to execute a task poorly
• 一目了然(一目瞭然) obvious at a glance
• 太客气了(太客氣了) too polite
• 水太烫了(水太燙了) the water is too hot
• 就晚了 then it's too late
• 不得了 extremely; exceedingly
• 好了伤疤忘了疼(好了傷疤忘了疼) to forget past pains once the wound has healed
• 说白了(說白了) to speak frankly
• 结了(結了) that's that; that's it; that will do
• 了了 to realize clearly; to settle a matter; to get it over with
• 他牺牲了生命(他犧牲了生命) he sacrificed his life
• 黄花菜都凉了(黃花菜都涼了) the dishes are cold; to arrive late; to take one's sweet time
• 过了这个村就没这个店(過了這個村就沒這個店) past this village, you won't find this shop; this is your last chance
• 知了 cicada

Also contained in

大水冲了龙王庙 、 跑了和尚跑不了庙

Word is mentioned most frequently in

Truncated for common words

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