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Expressing ongoing action with 着 (zhe)
Aspect & Tense
Structure
Verb + 着
Explanation
着 (zhe) is a particle that marks the durative aspect of an action, indicating that it is ongoing or sustained. It is attached directly after a verb to show that the action continues over a period of time. For example, 欣赏着 means "admiring" or "in the process of appreciating."
Examples
他站着等了半个小时。
Tā zhàn zhe děng le bàn gè xiǎoshí.
He stood waiting for half an hour.
她笑着跟我说了一句话。
Tā xiào zhe gēn wǒ shuō le yī jù huà.
She said something to me with a smile.
窗外下着小雨，街上没什么人。
Chuāng wài xià zhe xiǎoyǔ, jiē shàng méi shénme rén.
It was drizzling outside the window, and there were hardly any people on the street.