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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'marathon' with 马拉松 (mǎlāsōng)

    Description & Modification

    Structure

    马拉松 + (比赛/赛跑)

    Explanation

    马拉松 (mǎlāsōng) is a transliterated loanword meaning "marathon," referring to the long-distance running race of approximately 42.195 kilometers. It is the standard Chinese term used in sports, news, and everyday conversation. It can also be used metaphorically to describe any long, enduring effort.

    Examples

    • 他上个月参加了人生中第一场马拉松。

      tā shàng gè yuè cānjiā le rénshēng zhōng dì yì chǎng mǎlāsōng.

      He participated in his first marathon last month.

    • 准备马拉松需要好几个月的训练。

      zhǔnbèi mǎlāsōng xūyào hǎo jǐ gè yuè de xùnliàn.

      Preparing for a marathon requires several months of training.

    • 这个项目简直是一场马拉松，做了整整两年。

      zhège xiàngmù jiǎnzhí shì yì chǎng mǎlāsōng, zuò le zhěngzhěng liǎng nián.

      This project was practically a marathon; it took a full two years.

    Expressing 'marathon' with 马拉松 (mǎlāsōng) | Chinese Grammar