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HSK 7–9 · 一…而… · 不…而…
Four-character frames with 而 and 之
Four-character idioms with a fixed skeleton — one character wrong and the whole thing breaks.
The rule
Many four-character idioms are built on a 而 or 之 skeleton and are learnt WHOLE:
一挥而就 = dashed off in one stroke. 一蹴而就 = achieved at a single step (usually negated).
不言而喻 = it goes without saying. 不约而同 = as if by agreement.
取而代之 = to take its place. 总而言之 = to sum up.
The 而 joins MANNER to RESULT; the 之 is an object standing for what was just named.
Do not substitute characters: 不言而喻 is never 不说而喻.
一挥而就 = dashed off in one stroke. 一蹴而就 = achieved at a single step (usually negated).
不言而喻 = it goes without saying. 不约而同 = as if by agreement.
取而代之 = to take its place. 总而言之 = to sum up.
The 而 joins MANNER to RESULT; the 之 is an object standing for what was just named.
Do not substitute characters: 不言而喻 is never 不说而喻.
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