Result Complements: V+到/住/走
At HSK 3 the result complement, a word placed directly after a verb to say what the action achieved, gains 到 (reached), 住 (held fast), 走 (away), 见 (perceived) and 上 (closed or attached), alongside 完 (finished) from HSK 2.
住 (zhù) "fixed, secure" — the result becomes stable/held in place. 记住这个词！(Remember this word — fix it in memory.) Also: 抓住、站住、停住、拦住.
走 (zǒu) "away" — the object/person ends up moving away from its original place. 服务员把盘子拿走了。(The waiter took the plate away.) Also: 搬走、带走、赶走.
Contrast: 看到 (managed to see it) vs 看住 (watch it closely so it doesn't escape) — same verb, different complement, different meaning.
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我终于找到了那本书。 | Wǒ zhōngyú zhǎodào le nà běn shū. | I finally found that book. | 到 marks that the search reached its goal. |
| 请你记住这些生词。 | Qǐng nǐ jìzhu zhèxiē shēngcí. | Please remember these new words. | 住 marks the information becoming fixed/secure in memory. |
| 他把垃圾拿走了。 | Tā bǎ lājī ná zǒu le. | He took the trash away. | 走 marks the object ending up removed from its original place — combined here with 把 (object-fronting). |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
到 (dào)
Shows the action reached its goal or got a result.
Structure: Verb + 到 + object
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我在书店买到了那本词典。 | Wǒ zài shū diàn mǎi dào le nà běn cí diǎn. | I managed to buy that dictionary at the bookshop. |
| 昨天我在街上遇到了老同学。 | Zuó tiān wǒ zài jiē shàng yù dào le lǎo tóng xué. | Yesterday I ran into an old classmate in the street. |
| 你听到有人敲门吗？ | Nǐ tīng dào yǒu rén qiāo mén ma? | Did you hear someone knocking on the door? |
Not: 我找了那本书到。 到 sits right after the verb: 找到了那本书.
到 is also explained in: Resultative complements: 好/完/到/懂/坏 (HSK 4).
住 (zhù)
Shows something is held fixed or stopped, or firmly remembered.
Structure: Verb + 住 (+ 了)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 请把这个地址记住。 | Qǐng bǎ zhè gè dì zhǐ jì zhù. | Please remember this address. |
| 一辆车突然停住了。 | Yí liàng chē tū rán tíng zhù le. | A car suddenly stopped. |
| 我拉住了那个小孩。 | Wǒ lā zhù le nà gè xiǎo hái. | I caught hold of that child. |
Not: 我记了住他的名字。 Nothing comes between the verb and 住: 记住了他的名字.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 3, complement (结果补语).
住 is also explained in: Advanced resultatives: 住/成/开/清楚 (HSK 4).
走 (zǒu)
Shows something moved away from its place or from the speaker.
Structure: Verb + 走 (+ 了)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 小偷把我的钱包拿走了。 | Xiǎo tōu bǎ wǒ de qián bāo ná zǒu le. | The thief took away my wallet. |
| 那辆车已经开走了。 | Nà liàng chē yǐ jīng kāi zǒu le. | That car has already driven away. |
| 请把这些垃圾带走。 | Qǐng bǎ zhè xiē lā jī dài zǒu. | Please take this rubbish away. |
Not: 她走带了我的伞。 走 comes after the verb: 她带走了我的伞.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 3, complement (结果补语).
见 (jiàn)
Shows that what you saw or heard actually reached you.
Structure: Verb (看 / 听 / 闻) + 见 (+ object)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我在地铁里看见了我的老师。 | Wǒ zài dì tiě lǐ kàn jiàn le wǒ de lǎo shī. | I saw my teacher on the metro. |
| 你听见外面的声音了吗？ | Nǐ tīng jiàn wài miàn de shēng yīn le ma? | Did you hear the noise outside? |
| 我在电视上看见过这个人。 | Wǒ zài diàn shì shàng kàn jiàn guò zhè gè rén. | I have seen this person on television. |
Not: 我看了见他。 Nothing comes between the verb and 见: 我看见了他.
见 is also explained in: Result Complements: 错/懂/好/完/清楚 (HSK 2).
上 (shàng)
Shows something is closed, attached, added on, or has newly started.
Structure: Verb + 上 (+ object)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 请把门关上。 | Qǐng bǎ mén guān shàng. | Please close the door. |
| 他在名单上写上了自己的名字。 | Tā zài míng dān shàng xiě shàng le zì jǐ de míng zì. | He wrote his own name on the list. |
| 天冷了，穿上外套吧。 | Tiān lěng le, chuān shàng wài tào ba. | It has got cold, so put on a coat. |
Not: 我关了上门。 上 goes right after the verb: 关上了门.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, nouns (方位名词); level 3, complement (结果补语).
上 is also explained in: Direction Words as Localizers (HSK 1) · Directional Complements: 来/去, 上/下/进/出/回 (HSK 2).
完 (wán)
Shows that an action has been finished.
Structure: Verb + 完 (+ object)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 作业我已经做完了。 | Zuò yè wǒ yǐ jīng zuò wán le. | I have already finished my homework. |
| 你吃完饭再看电视。 | Nǐ chī wán fàn zài kàn diàn shì. | Watch television after you finish eating. |
| 那本小说我昨晚看完了。 | Nà běn xiǎo shuō wǒ zuó wǎn kàn wán le. | I finished that novel last night. |
Not: 我吃饭完了。 完 goes before the object: 我吃完饭了.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 2, complement (结果补语).
完 is also explained in: Result Complements: 错/懂/好/完/清楚 (HSK 2) · Resultative complements: 好/完/到/懂/坏 (HSK 4).
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
What this opens up
These patterns list Result Complements among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
The same pattern at other levels
- Result Complements — HSK 2
- Resultative complements — HSK 4
Questions about Result Complements
What does 结果补语 (Result Complements) mean in Chinese?
At HSK 3 the result complement, a word placed directly after a verb to say what the action achieved, gains 到 (reached), 住 (held fast), 走 (away), 见 (perceived) and 上 (closed or attached), alongside 完 (finished) from HSK 2. It is an HSK 3 grammar point.
How do you use 结果补语 (Result Complements) in a sentence?
我终于找到了那本书。 — Wǒ zhōngyú zhǎodào le nà běn shū. — I finally found that book. 到 marks that the search reached its goal.
What do you need to know before 结果补语 (Result Complements)?
Result Complements (HSK 2). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
What does 结果补语 (Result Complements) lead to?
Advanced resultatives (HSK 4), Compound Directional Complements (HSK 3), Potential Complements (HSK 3). Each of them names 结果补语 (Result Complements) among its own prerequisites.
When do I use 见 instead of 到 after 看?
看见 and 听见 only say that the sight or sound reached you, as in 我看见他了. 看到 can mean the same but is wider, since it also means "read up to": 看到第十页. After other verbs like 买 or 找, only 到 is used.
How do I make a result complement negative?
Put 没 before the verb and keep the complement: 我没找到钥匙 means I did not find the key. To say you cannot manage it, use the potential form 找不到.
Result Complements is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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