The Modal Adverb "还" (hái)

In Mandarin Chinese, the modal adverb "还" (hái) is used to express several concepts such as "still," "yet," "also," or "even." It is a versatile adverb that helps convey continuity, addition, or comparison in a sentence.

Usage:

• Still/Yet: "还" can indicate that an action or situation continues up to a certain point in time.
  • 他 还 在睡觉。(Tā hái zài shuìjiào.) - He is still sleeping.
• Also: "还" can be used to indicate that something is in addition to what has already been mentioned.
  • 我买了水果，还 买了蔬菜。(Wǒ mǎi le shuǐguǒ, hái mǎi le shūcài.) - I bought fruits and also bought vegetables.
• Even: "还" can be used to emphasize an extreme case or comparison.
  • 他五岁就 还 会读书。(Tā wǔ suì jiù hái huì dúshū.) - He could even read at the age of five.
• Yet (Negative Sentences): "还" is used to express "yet" in negative sentences.
  • 我 还 没吃饭。(Wǒ hái méi chīfàn.) - I haven't eaten yet.

Examples:

• 她 还 在上课。(Tā hái zài shàngkè.) - She is still in class.
• 除了汉语，他 还 会说英语。(Chúle Hànyǔ, tā hái huì shuō Yīngyǔ.) - Besides Chinese, he can also speak English.
• 今天 还 比昨天冷。(Jīntiān hái bǐ zuótiān lěng.) - Today is even colder than yesterday.

Additional Notes:

• Context is important in determining the specific meaning of "还" in a sentence.
• When used with negation, "还" often means "yet" or "still not."