HSK 4 Grammar

HSK 4 固定格式与四字格 — Fixed Patterns & Four-Character Structures

Master 20+ essential fixed expressions, four-character patterns, and sentence formulas tested at HSK 4 with interactive exercises and quizzes.

20+
Patterns
3
Categories
35+
Exercises
Section A: 四字格 Four-Character Patterns / 四字格式
A-1 一A一B one A, one B (gradual / repetitive)
时间一天一天地过去了。
Shíjiān yī tiān yī tiān de guòqù le.
Time passed day by day.
孩子一年一年地长大了。
Háizi yī nián yī nián de zhǎng dà le.
The child grew up year by year.
我们要一步一步地来。
Wǒmen yào yī bù yī bù de lái.
We need to take it step by step.
A-2 无A无B without A, without B
孩子们无忧无虑地玩着。
Háizimen wú yōu wú lǜ de wán zhe.
The children played carefree.
他无声无息地离开了。
Tā wú shēng wú xī de líkāi le.
He left silently (without a sound).
A-3 有A有B have A and have B (well provided)
在他家，有吃有喝，什么都不缺。
Zài tā jiā, yǒu chī yǒu hē, shénme dōu bù quē.
At his home, there was plenty of food and drink; nothing was lacking.
大家有说有笑，气氛很好。
Dàjiā yǒu shuō yǒu xiào, qìfēn hěn hǎo.
Everyone was chatting and laughing; the atmosphere was great.
Section B: 固定格式 Fixed Expressions / 固定格式
B-1 来得及 / 来不及 in time / too late
别着急，还来得及。
Bié zháojí, hái lái de jí.
Don't worry, there's still time.
现在出发的话，来得及赶上火车。
Xiànzài chūfā de huà, lái de jí gǎnshàng huǒchē.
If we leave now, we can make it in time for the train.
已经来不及了，飞机已经起飞了。
Yǐjīng lái bu jí le, fēijī yǐjīng qǐfēi le.
It's too late; the plane has already taken off.
✗ 我来及不赶上公共汽车。
✓ 我来不及赶上公共汽车。
The negative form is 来不及 (lái bu jí), not 来及不. The 不 goes between 来 and 及.
B-2 有的是 plenty of / there's no shortage of
别担心钱的问题，我有的是时间慢慢赚。
Bié dānxīn qián de wèntí, wǒ yǒu de shì shíjiān mànmàn zhuàn.
Don't worry about money; I have plenty of time to earn it slowly.
这种东西超市里有的是。
Zhè zhǒng dōngxi chāoshì lǐ yǒu de shì.
There's no shortage of this kind of thing in the supermarket.
B-3 说不定 maybe / perhaps
他还没来，说不定路上堵车了。
Tā hái méi lái, shuōbudìng lùshàng dǔchē le.
He hasn't come yet; maybe there's a traffic jam on the way.
说不定明天就会下雪。
Shuōbudìng míngtiān jiù huì xià xuě.
Perhaps it will snow tomorrow.
B-4 不怎么 not very / not particularly
这部电影不怎么好看。
Zhè bù diànyǐng bù zěnme hǎokàn.
This movie isn't particularly good.
他最近不怎么说话。
Tā zuìjìn bù zěnme shuōhuà.
He hasn't been talking much lately.
B-5 就是说 that is to say
他不来了，就是说我们只有三个人。
Tā bù lái le, jiù shì shuō wǒmen zhǐ yǒu sān ge rén.
He's not coming, which means we only have three people.
也就是说，你已经决定了？
Yě jiù shì shuō, nǐ yǐjīng juédìng le?
In other words, you've already decided?
Section C: 句式格式 Sentence Pattern Formulas / 句式格式
C-1 拿…来说 take ... for example
拿北京来说，冬天非常冷。
Ná Běijīng lái shuō, dōngtiān fēicháng lěng.
Take Beijing for example; winters are very cold.
拿我自己来说，学中文花了三年时间。
Ná wǒ zìjǐ lái shuō, xué Zhōngwén huā le sān nián shíjiān.
Take myself for example; learning Chinese took three years.
C-2 再也不/没… never again
他再也不迟到了。
Tā zài yě bù chídào le.
He never arrived late again.
从那以后，她再也没回来过。
Cóng nà yǐhòu, tā zài yě méi huílái guò.
After that, she never came back again.
C-3 在…方面 in terms of / regarding
她在学习方面非常努力。
Tā zài xuéxí fāngmiàn fēicháng nǔlì.
She is very diligent in terms of studying.
在工作方面，他有很多经验。
Zài gōngzuò fāngmiàn, tā yǒu hěn duō jīngyàn.
Regarding work, he has a lot of experience.
C-4 够…的 quite ... enough
今天够冷的！
Jīntiān gòu lěng de!
It's quite cold enough today!
这道题够难的。
Zhè dào tí gòu nán de.
This question is really difficult enough.
C-5 为了…而… in order to ... and thus ...
他为了学好中文而搬到了北京。
Tā wèile xué hǎo Zhōngwén ér bān dào le Běijīng.
He moved to Beijing in order to learn Chinese well.
她为了健康而每天跑步。
Tā wèile jiànkāng ér měitiān pǎobù.
She runs every day for the sake of her health.

Classic HSK 4 固定搭配 Examples Explained / HSK 4 固定格式与四字格经典例句详解

15 high-frequency HSK 4 固定搭配 (set patterns) and 四字格 (four-character structures) — these patterns work as fixed units. Each example shows pinyin, English, the structure, and how it appears in HSK 4 reading and listening.

来得及 / 来不及 — HSK 4 固定搭配 #1

Lái de jí / Lái bu jí.

"There's still time" / "It's too late." — fixed potential complement; cannot be broken apart.

✓ 现在还来得及，赶紧出发吧。 Xiànzài hái lái de jí, gǎnjǐn chūfā ba. — "There's still time, let's go now."
✓ 飞机两个小时后起飞，恐怕来不及了。 Fēijī liǎng gè xiǎoshí hòu qǐfēi, kǒngpà lái bu jí le. — "The plane takes off in two hours, I'm afraid we won't make it."

有的是 yǒu de shì — HSK 4 固定搭配 #2

"There's plenty of (it)." Used to emphasize abundance, often with a hint of "don't worry, no shortage".

✓ 不用着急，时间有的是。 Bú yòng zháojí, shíjiān yǒu de shì. — "Don't worry, there's plenty of time."

Same: 钱有的是 / 机会有的是 / 办法有的是.

说不定 shuō bu dìng — HSK 4 固定搭配 #3

"Possibly / who knows / it's hard to say." Used as an adverb to express possibility (≈ 可能 / 也许).

✓ 你给他打个电话，说不定他还在办公室。 Nǐ gěi tā dǎ gè diànhuà, shuō bu dìng tā hái zài bàngōngshì. — "Give him a call — who knows, he might still be at the office."

不怎么 bù zěnme — HSK 4 固定搭配 #4

"Not very / not particularly." Soft negative — milder than 不 alone.

✓ 这家饭店的菜不怎么好吃。 Zhè jiā fàndiàn de cài bù zěnme hǎochī. — "This restaurant's food isn't particularly good."

Same: 不怎么贵 / 不怎么忙 / 不怎么喜欢 / 不怎么会做饭.

再也不 / 再也没… — HSK 4 固定搭配 #5

"Never again." Strong determination or finality.

✓ 我再也不去那家饭店了。 Wǒ zài yě bú qù nà jiā fàndiàn le. — "I'll never go to that restaurant again." (future)
✓ 那次以后，他再也没回来过。 Nà cì yǐhòu, tā zài yě méi huí lái guò. — "After that time, he never came back." (past experience)

在…方面 zài … fāngmiàn — HSK 4 固定搭配 #6

"In terms of / regarding ___ aspect." Frames a specific dimension of analysis.

✓ 在学习方面，他比我努力多了。 Zài xuéxí fāngmiàn, tā bǐ wǒ nǔlì duō le. — "In terms of studying, he is much more diligent than me."

Same: 在工作方面 / 在生活方面 / 在性格方面 / 在能力方面.

够…的 gòu … de — HSK 4 固定搭配 #7

"Pretty / quite [adjective]." Soft intensifier for adjectives, often with a slight complaint.

✓ 今天的工作够辛苦的。 Jīntiān de gōngzuò gòu xīnkǔ de. — "Today's work has been pretty exhausting."

Same: 够累的 / 够忙的 / 够冷的 / 够远的.

拿…来说 ná … lái shuō — HSK 4 固定搭配 #8

"Take ___ as an example / Speaking of ___." Used to introduce a specific case.

✓ 拿我来说，每天都要练习一小时汉语。 Ná wǒ lái shuō, měi tiān dōu yào liànxí yì xiǎoshí Hànyǔ. — "Take me as an example — I practice Chinese for an hour every day."

一+量词+比+一+量词 — HSK 4 固定搭配 #9

"Each one ___er than the last." Pattern for progressive comparison.

✓ 这几次考试，他一次比一次进步。 Zhè jǐ cì kǎoshì, tā yí cì bǐ yí cì jìnbù. — "In these recent exams, he keeps improving each time."

Same: 一天比一天冷 / 一年比一年好 / 一个比一个聪明.

就是说 jiùshì shuō — HSK 4 固定搭配 #10

"That is to say / In other words." Used to rephrase or clarify.

✓ 这次考试不及格，就是说他必须重考。 Zhè cì kǎoshì bù jí gé, jiù shì shuō tā bìxū chóngkǎo. — "He failed this exam, which is to say he has to retake it."

X 就 X (点儿) 吧 — HSK 4 固定搭配 #11

"So what if X / It's just a bit X, accept it." Resigned acceptance.

✓ 贵就贵点儿吧，质量好就行。 Guì jiù guì diǎnr ba, zhìliàng hǎo jiù xíng. — "So it's a bit expensive — that's fine, as long as the quality is good."

一前一后 / 一A一B — 四字格 #12

"One in front, one behind." 一A一B pattern where A and B are antonyms or paired concepts.

✓ 他们俩一前一后地走进了教室。 Tāmen liǎ yì qián yí hòu de zǒu jìn le jiàoshì. — "The two of them walked into the classroom one after the other."

Same 一A一B examples: 一上一下 / 一左一右 / 一来一回 / 一问一答.

无亲无故 / 无A无B — 四字格 #13

"With no relatives or friends." 无A无B pattern emphasizes total absence (A and B = same category).

✓ 他刚到这个城市，无亲无故。 Tā gāng dào zhège chéngshì, wú qīn wú gù. — "He just arrived in this city without any relatives or friends."

Same: 无影无踪 / 无依无靠 / 无声无息.

有头有尾 / 有A有B — 四字格 #14

"Has a beginning and an end (sees things through)." 有A有B pattern emphasizes complete presence.

✓ 做事情要有头有尾，不能半途而废。 Zuò shìqing yào yǒu tóu yǒu wěi, bù néng bàn tú ér fèi. — "When doing things, you need to see them through — don't quit halfway."

Same: 有说有笑 / 有声有色 / 有理有据.

(没)有什么 (好) X 的 — HSK 4 固定搭配 #15

"There's nothing worth ___-ing" / "What's so ___ about it?" Dismissive evaluation.

✓ 这个电影没有什么好看的。 Zhège diànyǐng méi yǒu shénme hǎokàn de. — "This movie isn't really worth watching."

Same: 没什么好怕的 / 没什么好担心的 / 有什么好高兴的.

Pattern Generator / 格式生成器

Pick a pattern template, fill in the slots, and generate a complete expression. Click an example pair to auto-fill.

Error Spotting / 纠错练习

Is this sentence using the fixed pattern correctly? Judge each sentence.

Comprehensive Quiz / 综合测试 (12 questions)

时间地过去了。
一A一B pattern: 一天一天 (day by day). The pattern uses 一+measure/noun repeated to express gradual progression.
别担心钱，我时间。
有的是 means "plenty of / there's no shortage of." It emphasizes abundance and goes before the noun it modifies.
他还没来，路上堵车了。
说不定 means "maybe / perhaps," expressing a guess about a situation. It is a fixed expression used at the beginning of a clause.
北京来说，冬天非常冷。
拿…来说 means "take ... for example." The structure is: 拿 + topic + 来说 + comment.
从那以后，她回来过。
再也没… means "never again (in the past)." The fixed order is 再也 + 没 + verb + 过, emphasizing finality.
她学习方面非常努力。
在…方面 means "in terms of / regarding." The preposition 在 introduces the aspect being discussed, followed by 方面.
Which sentence uses 够…的 correctly?
够…的 wraps around an adjective: 够 + adj + 的. It expresses "quite enough" with a tone of emphasis or even complaint.
这部电影好看。
不怎么 means "not very / not particularly." It softens the negation compared to 不. The word order is fixed: 不怎么 + adj/verb.
孩子们地玩着。
无忧无虑 is a fixed four-character expression meaning "carefree." The order is fixed (忧 before 虑), and it uses 无, not 没 or 不.
他不来了，我们只有三个人。
就是说 means "that is to say / in other words." It is a fixed expression used to restate or clarify a previous point.
他学好中文而搬到了北京。
为了…而… means "in order to ... (and thus) ...." 为了 introduces the purpose, and 而 connects it to the resulting action.
Which is the correct meaning of 来不及?
来不及 is a fixed expression meaning "too late / not enough time (to do something)." It has nothing to do with the literal meaning of "come." Its positive form is 来得及 (in time).
Related / 相关内容
把
把字句 Ba-Sentence
语
All Grammar Points
词
HSK 4 Vocabulary

用模拟考试检验固定格式掌握情况

Test your fixed pattern knowledge with full HSK 4 mock exams

Start a Mock Exam →

Apply this HSK 4 grammar in test conditions

⚡ Strategy
HSK 4 Fixed Patterns test-taking tips
📝 Patterns
100 essential HSK 4 sentences
🎯 Practice
12 HSK 4 mock exams

Other HSK 4 Grammar Topics

把字句 Ba-Sentence 被字句 Passive 比较句 Comparison 补语 Complements 复句 Complex Sentences 副词 Adverbs 虚词 Function Words 兼语句 Pivotal Sentences 修辞 Rhetorical 量词 Measure Words

Review the full HSK 4 vocabulary (1000 words), common HSK 4 confusable word pairs (43), and sentence ordering exercises. For test-day reading, see all 9 HSK 4 strategy guides.