Dictionary🇨🇳 Chinese → 🇺🇸 English
了
le, liǎo
Description
“了”是中文里很常用的字。它常常放在动词后面，表示事情已经做完了。
"了" is a very common character in Chinese. It is often placed after a verb to indicate that the action has been completed.
读“liǎo”的时候，常常表示“可以”或者“完成”，比如“受不了”。
When pronounced "liǎo," "了" often means "can" or "finished," as in "受不了" (cannot bear).
Meanings
了le
marks a completed action or change
我吃了饭。
I have eaten.
了le
shows a new situation or change of state
天黑了。
It is getting dark.
了liǎo
be able to; finish (in verb complements)
这么多菜我吃不了。
I can't eat so many dishes.
Related words
Notes
- Nuance
sentence-final 了 signals change; verb-suffix 了 signals completion — two different uses.
- Reading
了 is 'le' as a particle but 'liǎo' in complements like 受不了, 了解.
Links