Phrasal Verbs — Look Up, Give Up, Turn On
Two-word verbs that don't exist in Chinese and can't be guessed
Category: Phrasal Verbs
The Rule
Phrasal verbs = verb + particle (up/down/on/off/out/in) that creates a new meaning. 'Give up' (quit) ≠ 'give' + 'up'. They must be learned as units. Some are separable ('turn it off'), some are not ('look after him').
Why This Matters
Chinese has compound verbs (放弃 = give up) but they work transparently from their characters. English phrasal verbs are often opaque: 'look up' can mean look upward, search for (in a dictionary), or improve. Chinese speakers try to decode phrasal verbs word-by-word, which fails.
Examples
• Don't give up! — "别放弃！" [give up = quit/abandon — can't guess from 'give' + 'up'] • Can you look after my cat? — "你能照顾我的猫吗？" [look after = take care of — NOT 'look' + 'after'] • I need to figure out this problem. — "我需要弄清楚这个问题。" [figure out = understand/solve]
Common Mistakes
❌ I must look the word. (meaning to search for) ✅ I must look up the word. → 'Look' alone means to see/watch. 'Look up' means to search for information. ❌ She turned off it. ✅ She turned it off. → Separable phrasal verbs: pronoun goes BETWEEN verb and particle. 'Turn off it' is wrong; 'turn it off' is right.
Quick Tip
Phrasal verbs are the #1 vocabulary challenge for Chinese speakers. Learn them in context, not by analyzing parts. 'Put up with' (tolerate) has nothing to do with putting, up, or with.
Phrasal verbs are the #1 vocabulary challenge for Chinese speakers. Learn them in context, not by analyzing parts. 'Put up with' (tolerate) has nothing to do with putting, up, or with.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: I must look the word. (meaning to search for) → Correct: I must look up the word.. 'Look' alone means to see/watch. 'Look up' means to search for information.
Incorrect: She turned off it. → Correct: She turned it off.. Separable phrasal verbs: pronoun goes BETWEEN verb and particle. 'Turn off it' is wrong; 'turn it off' is right.
Quiz
What does 'put off' mean?