Introduction
着 (zhe) after a verb says the situation is holding. It has two jobs: a state that stays put — 门开着。(Mén kāi zhe.) The door is open — and the posture or manner an action is carried out in — 他坐着看书。(Tā zuò zhe kàn shū.) He reads sitting down.
Overview
Structure: Verb + 着 (zhe)
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| V + 着（state） | 门开着。(Mén kāi zhe.) | The door is open. |
| V + 着 + Obj（state） | 他穿着一件红衣服。(Tā chuān zhe yí jiàn hóng yīfu.) | He's wearing a red shirt. |
| V1 + 着 + V2（manner） | 他坐着看书。(Tā zuò zhe kàn shū.) | He reads sitting down. |
| 没 + V + 着 | 门没开着。(Mén méi kāi zhe.) | The door isn't open. |
| Place + V + 着 + N | 桌子上放着一本书。(Zhuōzi shang fàng zhe yì běn shū.) | There's a book lying on the table. |
在 (zài) is the action; 着 (zhe) is what stays behind it:
- 他在穿衣服。(Tā zài chuān yīfu.) — He's putting his clothes on. The action is happening now.
- 他穿着一件红衣服。(Tā chuān zhe yí jiàn hóng yīfu.) — He's wearing a red shirt. The action is over; the state remains.
- In V1 着 + V2, the 着 verb is how the second one is done: 他站着说话。(Tā zhàn zhe shuōhuà.) — He talks standing up.
- Both can appear together: 他在看着我。(Tā zài kàn zhe wǒ.) — He's looking at me and keeping it up.
Examples
门开着，你进来吧。
Mén kāi zhe, nǐ jìnlái ba.
The door's open, come in.
他穿着一件红衣服。
Tā chuān zhe yí jiàn hóng yīfu.
He's wearing a red shirt.
他坐着看书。
Tā zuò zhe kàn shū.
He reads sitting down.
桌子上放着一本中文书。
Zhuōzi shang fàng zhe yì běn Zhōngwén shū.
There's a Chinese book lying on the table.
别站着，坐着说吧。
Bié zhàn zhe, zuò zhe shuō ba.
Don't stand — sit down and tell me.
她笑着跟我说话。
Tā xiào zhe gēn wǒ shuōhuà.
She talked to me with a smile.
Usage Notes
- The negative is 没 (méi), not 不 (bù): 门没开着。(Mén méi kāi zhe.) The state simply is not there.
- 着 (zhe) is neutral tone — kāi zhe, never kāi zhuó.
- Not every verb takes 着. It needs a verb that can leave something behind: 开 (kāi) open，穿 (chuān) wear，放 (fàng) place，坐 (zuò) sit，站 (zhàn) stand，拿 (ná) hold.
- In 他坐着看书 (tā zuò zhe kàn shū) the second verb is the main action. 坐着 (zuò zhe) only describes the posture.
- 呢 (ne) often closes the sentence for a softer, more spoken feel: 门开着呢。(Mén kāi zhe ne.)