About This Lesson
Use A Stuck Door to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
门卡住了。
mén kǎ zhù le The door is stuck.
B
试着拉一下把手。
shì zhe lā yí xià bǎ shou Try pulling the handle.
A
我拉了，但门还是关着。
wǒ lā le, dàn mén hái shì guān zhe I pulled it, but it stays closed.
B
在门边缘附近慢慢推。
zài mén biān yuán fù jìn màn màn tuī Push near the edge slowly.
A
门开了一点。
mén kāi le yì diǎn It opened a little.
B
把手有点松。
bǎ shou yǒu diǎn sōng The handle feels loose.
A
我们要不要别再用这扇门？
wǒ men yào bu yào bié zài yòng zhè shàn mén Should we stop using this door?
B
我们可以在有人再次被困住前修好把手。
wǒ men ké yǐ zài yǒu rén zài cì bèi kùn zhù qián xiū hǎo bǎ shou We can fix the handle before anyone gets stuck again.Word by Word
门
门 means “door” here, the object described as stuck in “门卡住了”. It commonly appears before a state or action when describing a door; new example: “门开了” means “The door opened.”
卡住
卡住 means become stuck or jammed, as in the door’s condition in “门卡住了”. The pattern X卡住了 is useful when an object can no longer move normally; new example: “拉链卡住了” means “The zipper is stuck.”
了
了 shows that an action or state has reached the relevant point: “门卡住了” presents the door as now stuck, while “我拉了” reports that the pulling was completed. It commonly follows a verb or state when reporting a completed action or change; new example: “他到了” means “He arrived.”
试着
试着 means try doing something and introduces the action being attempted in “试着拉一下把手”. It is commonly followed by a verb, as in 试着+verb, when suggesting an attempt; new example: “试着打开它” means “Try opening it.”
拉
拉 means pull, which is the action directed at the handle in “拉一下把手”. It commonly comes before the object being pulled, as in 拉+object, when giving a practical instruction; new example: “拉门” means “pull the door.”
一下
一下 limits 拉 in “拉一下把手” to one brief or light action, making the instruction sound like a small attempt. The pattern verb+一下 is useful for asking someone to do something briefly; new example: “看一下” means “take a quick look.”
把手
把手 means handle, the part being pulled in “拉一下把手” and described as loose in “把手有点松”. It can be used as the object of an action or as the thing whose condition is described when discussing a door or other object.
我
我 means I or me, and in “我拉了” it identifies the speaker as the person who pulled. It commonly appears before the action being reported, as in 我+verb, when someone explains what they did.
但
但 means but and contrasts the completed action with its result in “我拉了，但门还是关着”. It is useful in the pattern A，但B when the second statement differs from or limits the expectation created by the first; new example: “我试了，但不行” means “I tried, but it didn’t work.”
还是
还是 means still in “门还是关着”, showing that the door remains closed after the pulling. It commonly comes before a continuing state when an earlier action has not changed the situation; new example: “他还是很累” means “He is still very tired.”
关着
关着 presents the door as remaining in a closed state in “门还是关着”. It is useful after a noun when describing something that is currently kept closed; new example: “窗户关着” means “The window is closed.”
在
在 marks the location of the action in “在门边缘附近慢慢推”, indicating where the pushing should happen. The pattern 在+location+verb is useful for directing an action to a particular place; new example: “在这里等” means “wait here.”
边缘
边缘 means edge or boundary area, specifically the edge of the door in “门边缘附近”. It commonly combines with a noun to identify an object’s edge, as in X的边缘; new example: “桌子的边缘” means “the edge of the table.”
附近
附近 means near or in the vicinity of something, and “门边缘附近” means the area near the door’s edge. It commonly follows a place or object name, as in place+附近, when giving a nearby location; new example: “学校附近” means “near the school.”
慢慢
慢慢 means slowly in “慢慢推”, telling the listener to perform the push without rushing. It commonly comes before an action in the pattern 慢慢+verb, especially when careful movement is needed; new example: “慢慢走” means “walk slowly.”
推
推 means push, the action suggested at the door edge in “慢慢推”. It can be followed by the object being pushed, as in 推+object, when giving an instruction; new example: “推门” means “push the door.”
开
开 describes the door opening in “门开了一点”. Together with 一点, it reports that the door changed from closed to slightly open; it can be reused in the pattern 门开了 when reporting that a door has opened.
一点
一点 means a little and limits the amount of opening in “开了一点”. The pattern verb+一点 is useful for describing a small degree or amount; new example: “说慢一点” means “speak a little more slowly.”
有点
有点 means somewhat or a bit in “把手有点松”, showing that the handle has a small degree of looseness. It commonly comes before a state or description in the pattern 有点+state; new example: “有点累” means “a bit tired.”
松
松 means loose in “把手有点松”, describing the handle as not firmly fixed. It can follow the object being assessed, as in object+松, when reporting a maintenance problem.
我们
我们 means we or us, referring to the speaker and listener together in “我们要不要别再用这扇门？” and “我们可以在有人再次被困住前修好把手”. It commonly appears before a proposed or shared action when making a joint decision or plan.
要不要
要不要 is the whole question pattern for asking whether to do something, as in “我们要不要别再用这扇门？”. Here 要 presents using the door as the option to consider, while 不要 presents not using it; the two parts form a positive-versus-negative choice. The reusable pattern is 要不要+verb phrase when asking someone to decide together; new example: “要不要休息一下？” means “Should we take a break?”
别
别 gives a negative instruction in “别再用这扇门”, meaning do not continue with the action. It commonly comes directly before a verb phrase in the pattern 别+verb; new example: “别碰它” means “Don’t touch it.”
再
再 in “别再用这扇门” points to another use after the earlier uses, and with 别 it means not to use the door anymore. The pattern 别再+verb is useful when warning someone to stop repeating an action; new example: “别再等了” means “Don’t wait any longer.”
用
用 means use, and “用这扇门” refers to using this particular door. It commonly comes before the object being used, as in 用+object, when describing or instructing an activity; new example: “用这个杯子” means “use this cup.”
这
这 means this and identifies the particular door in “这扇门”. It commonly comes before a classifier and noun in the pattern 这+classifier+noun when pointing out a specific nearby item.
扇
扇 is the classifier used for doors in “这扇门”. It appears between a demonstrative or number and 门, as in 这扇门 or 一扇门, when referring to one door.
可以
可以 means can or it is possible to, and in “我们可以在有人再次被困住前修好把手” it presents fixing the handle as a feasible plan. It commonly comes before the action that is possible, in the pattern 可以+verb; new example: “可以进去” means “You can go in.”
有人
有人 introduces an unspecified person in “有人再次被困住前”; in this context, it refers to anyone who might become trapped again. It commonly comes before an action or state when saying that someone is involved; new example: “有人在门口” means “Someone is at the door.”
再次
再次 means again in “再次被困住”, referring to another occurrence of becoming trapped. It commonly comes before the repeated action or event in the pattern 再次+verb, especially when discussing prevention or recurrence; new example: “再次发生” means “happen again.”
被
被 marks the passive relationship in “被困住”, showing that the person undergoes being trapped rather than trapping someone else. It commonly comes before the action that happens to the affected person, in the pattern 被+verb phrase; new example: “被发现” means “be discovered.”
困住
困住 means be trapped or unable to get out in “被困住”. With 被, it describes the person who experiences the trapping; the pattern 被困住 is useful when warning about someone becoming stuck in a place.
前
前 means before and places one event earlier than another in “被困住前”. It commonly follows an action or event phrase in the pattern phrase+前; new example: “出门前” means “before going out.”
修好
修好 means repair something successfully so that it is fixed, as in “修好把手”. It commonly comes before the object being repaired in the pattern 修好+object, and is useful when proposing a practical repair before a problem happens again.
Grammar Points
被 + 动词
有人被困住
yǒu rén bèi kùn zhùSomeone is trapped.
“被” marks a passive sentence: the subject receives the action or experiences its result.
要不要 + 动词
我们要不要推
wǒ men yào bu yào tuīShould we push?
This pattern offers a choice or suggestion by asking whether someone wants to do something.
Chinese Vocabulary
把手
noun
bǎ shou
handle
边缘
noun
biān yuán
edge
附近
noun
fù jìn
nearby; vicinity
关着
adj
guān zhe
to remain closed
还是
adv
hái shì
still; nevertheless
卡住
verb
kǎ zhù
to get stuck; to be jammed
拉
verb
lā
to pull
慢慢
adv
màn màn
slowly
门
noun
mén
door
试着
verb
shì zhe
to try
推
verb
tuī
to push
一下
adv
yí xià
a little; briefly
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to remain closed
Show Answer
关着a little; briefly
Show Answer
一下handle
Show Answer
把手to try