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The character 着 has many readings, but I'm interested on 2 of them that have grammar usage: zhe and zháo.

As zhe, 着 is used to express a continuous state, as in 门开着 (the door is opened) and 他跑着步听音乐 (he listens to music while running).

As zháo, 着 is used as a resultative complement that indicated the success of an action (similar to that expressed by 到).

So here comes my first question:
1 - Does 着 have exactly the same meaning as 到 as a result complement?

找到/找着 - 买到/买着 - 看到/看着 - 想到/想着 - 睡到/睡着 are all the same?

That being said, here comes the second question:
2 - How would I be completely sure if 着 would be read zhe or zháo? For example:

她会想着妈妈。Ta hui xiang zhe/zhao mama (She will be thinking/come to think about her mother.)

Enrico Brasil
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  • bkrs:2) –zháo result complement indicating especially (sometimes extremely)intensive kind of action 你烫着了我了 衣裳烤着了 烤不着！ zháo 1) 动 表示状态的持续或已有了结果。 如：「灯点着了」、「找着了」、「睡着了」。到 has wider range of applicability, the special cases of 着zháo may have to be learned,

    想着 see dictionaries xiǎngzhe keep in mind 他一直想着这件事儿。 She always keeps this in mind.

    1. 想起来。
    2. 想，考虑。想到 of course exists, and 到 does not indicate result of "especially intensive action" hence 到 can not be replaced by 着 zháo
     – user6065 Nov 22 '18 at 19:26
  • 着zháo may correspond to 得到, e.g. 想得到 see dictionaries or grammars – user6065 Nov 22 '18 at 19:40
  • It reminds me of an interesting dialog:“找着没？（Did you find it?）”“找着呢！（I am now searching!）” – Toosky Hierot Nov 23 '18 at 04:32
  • it would seem that 着 zháo as complement of result may be described as nonproductive 非能产型（的）, unlike 到 which is (very) productive 能产型（的）, (instances of its use will simply have to be learned) thus e.g. 买、看、想 followed by 着 zháo do not seem to exist, (with 买 some users still have some doubts) – user6065 Nov 23 '18 at 08:28
  • negative construction 不着-buzháo more productive than affirmative case:买不着, 找不着, 梦也梦不着,抓不着，likewise note 得着, e.g. 说得着、数得着、合得着、捡得着、找得着、见得着、够得着、用得着、过得着、犯得着、碍得着、睡得着 – user6065 Nov 25 '18 at 02:38
  • @user6065 That's what I was thinking about. Is there a list with verbs that commonly take 着 (zháo) as a complement? – Enrico Brasil Nov 26 '18 at 18:04
  • above represents all user knows, again, for collocation see dictionaries – user6065 Nov 26 '18 at 23:19

1 Answers1

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1 - Does 着 have exactly the same meaning as 到 as a result complement?

到 as a result complement indicates the verb is accomplished

着 as a result complement also indicates the verb is accomplished

Example:

Both 找到 and 找着 means 'seek' (and found)

~

着 as a verb particle is mostly used to indicate 'the continuation of an action or a state'

Example: 看到 = 'look '(and saw) ; 看着 = 'looking'

着 here is a verb particle that indicates 'continuous state,

Similarly: 想到 = 'think' (and remember or realize); '想着' = 'thinking'

~

着 as a verb particle can also means 'result in'

Example: 买到 = 'buy' (and bought) ; 买着 = 'buy'(and end up with)

着 here is a verb particle that indicates 'result in/ end up with'. As in '买着次貨' (buy and result in buying inferior goods)

~

2 - How would I be completely sure if 着 would be read zhe or zháo?

着 read as /zhe5/ only when it is functioning as a verb particle that indicating the continuation of an action or a state

http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1132/

Tang Ho
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