City University of Hong Kong CLASS CLASS
Making Sense of Grammar
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asked Mar 8, 2021 in Questions about Chinese Grammar by Ariel (34,480 points) | 197 views

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Yes. An indefinite noun phrase usually becomes definite after it has been mentioned once. The second time it is mentioned, it is definite.

我认识一个姓白的中国人,他是我的中文老师。 (他 is definite.)

wǒ rèn shí yī gè xìng bái de zhōng guó rén,tā shì wǒ de zhōng wén lǎo shī。

I know a Chinese person whose last name is Bai; he is my Chinese (language) teacher.

[1] Yip, P. C., Rimmington, D., Xiaoming, Z., & Henson, R. (2009). Basic Chinese: a grammar and workbook. Taylor & Francis.
answered Mar 8, 2021 by Ariel (34,480 points)

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