Manner Adverbs: 互相, 尽量, 亲自

Chinese grammar · HSK 3 · 方式副词 · By Carson 木林森

互相 (hùxiāng) "each other" — plural subject + 互相 + verb (object usually dropped, since the action already goes both ways). 我们互相帮助。(We help each other.)

互相 hù xiāng each other 尽量 jǐn liàng as much as possible 亲自 qīn zì personally 相互 xiāng hù each other

尽量 (jǐnliàng) "as much as possible" — before the verb, common in requests and plans. 请尽量早点儿来。(Please come as early as possible.) Fixed pattern: 尽量 + 不要/少 + V = "try as hard as you can not to / to do less of..."

亲自 (qīnzì) "in person, personally" — stresses the subject does something themselves instead of delegating it. 他亲自去机场接朋友。(He went to the airport himself.)

Note: before a noun (as an attribute with 的), use 相互 instead of 互相 — 相互关系, not 互相的关系.

Worked examples

Chinese	Pinyin	English	What it shows
我们互相帮助。	Wǒmen hùxiāng bāngzhù.	We help each other.	Base pattern: plural subject + 互相 + verb, object dropped.
请大家尽量准时到教室。	Qǐng dàjiā jǐnliàng zhǔnshí dào jiàoshì.	Please everyone try to arrive at the classroom on time.	尽量 added before a verb phrase inside a polite request.
经理亲自给每位客人倒了茶。	Jīnglǐ qīnzì gěi měi wèi kèrén dàole chá.	The manager personally poured tea for every guest.	亲自 + 给...倒了 shows the subject performing the action directly, not through someone else.

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