打开 → 打不开
can / can’t (manage to): words like 打开, 推开, 看到 split open for 得 or 不
Structure
打开 → 打 得／不 开 · 推开 → 推 得／不 开 · 看到 → 看 得／不 到
What it means
Many two-character verbs are a verb plus its result (打开, 推开, 看到, 看见, 离开, 完成). Put 得 (can) or 不 (can’t) in the middle to say whether the result can be reached.
How it is built
Verb + 得／不 + result: 打得开 / 打不开, 推不开, 看得到 / 看不到, 看得见 / 看不见, 离不开, 完不成: 这个门我打不开 (I can’t get this door open). Say 得 and 不 lightly: dǎ bu kāi.
When to use it
Use it when you try and the result does or doesn’t come: 你站在后边，看得到吗？ It is the same pattern as 看得清楚 / 看不清楚.
Watch out
✗ 我不能打开这个门 (for a stuck door) ✓ 这个门我打不开。 不能 sounds like “I’m not allowed to”; 打不开 says you tried and failed.
Examples
这个门我打不开，你来试试。
I can’t get this door open. You have a go.
门推不开，你拉一下试试。
The door won’t push open. Try pulling it.
你站在后边，看得到吗？
Can you see from back there?
在地球上，我们看不到月亮的那一边。
From the Earth we can’t see the far side of the moon.
Learn this in HSK 3 · Lesson 22: 嫦娥的传说 (The moon legend)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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