Comprehensive Chinese-English Dictionary

着 [zhe]

1. 1. particle added to a verb or adjective to indicate a continued action or state, often with the particle 呢 at the end of the sentence

   大门敞着。

   The gate is wide open.

   他穿着一身新衣服。

   He is wearing new clothes.

   雪正下着呢。

   It's snowing.

   窗户关着。

   他戴着一顶墨西哥帽。

   我们正吃着呢。

   你看着我。

2. 2. particle in sentences beginning with a place word, added to the verb to indicate a resultant state, the verb plus 着 having the force of "there is"

   桌儿上放着好些东西。

   There are a lot of things lying on the table.

   墙上挂着一幅山水画。

   On the wall hangs a landscape painting.

   地上堆着许多衣服。

   桌子上贴着一张海报。

3. 3. particle [直译: verb plus 着 placed before another verb, indicating an accompanying action or state] ⓐ (verb plus 着 serving as an adverbial modifier)

   他爱吃着饭看报。

   He likes to read the newspaper while eating.

   路不远，咱们走着去吧。

   It's quite near, let's go there on foot.

   我喜欢喝着茶看书。

   因为没有车子，他们只好走着去了。

   他站着说话不腰痛。

4. 4. particle [直译: verb plus 着 placed before another verb, indicating an accompanying action or state] ⓑ (verb plus 着 repeated, indicating that while one action is in progress the occurrence of another is expected)

   她想着想着笑了起来。

   She thought and thought and then burst out laughing.

   我们走着走着天色已经暗了下来。

   As we walked along, it began to grow dark.

   他们读着读着就哭了。

5. 5. particle in imperative sentences, used after verbs or adjectives for emphasis, often with 点儿 added

   等着!

   Wait!

   慢着!

   Hold it!

   过马路看着点儿。

   Mind how you cross the street.

   等着！我去给你拿。

   慢着！我检查一下你拿的什么。

   老人过马路应该慢着点。