了

le

HSK 1

了 — le

1. completed-action marker (indicates an action has been completed)

   他吃了饭。 tā chīlefàn — He has eaten.

2. modal particle indicating a change of state or situation (now)

   他病好了，现在可以上班了。 tā bìng hǎo le xiànzài kěyǐ shàngbān le — He's recovered; now he can go to work.

3. modal particle intensifying the preceding clause

   他真高了！ tā zhēn gāo le — He's really tall now!

了 — liǎo

1. to finish; to be done

   我做完了这份工作，现在可以休息。 wǒ zuò wán le zhèfèn gōngzuò xiànzài kěyǐ xiūxī — I've finished this job and can rest now.

2. used after a verb with 得 or 不 to indicate (im)possibility (e.g., 忘不了 'cannot forget')

   这歌我忘不了。 zhègē wǒ wàngbùliǎo — I can't forget this song.

3. (literary) completely / entirely (often followed by a negative such as 無/无 or 不)

   其事了无音信。 qíshì liǎo wú yīnxìn — There was no news about the matter at all.

4. to understand clearly (variant of 瞭/了)

   他一看就了，立刻明白了。 tā yī kàn jiù le lìkè míngbái le — He understood at a glance.

5. (of eyes) bright; clear-sighted; to understand clearly

   老人眼睛了然，看得清楚。 lǎorén yǎnjīng liǎorán kànde qīngchǔ — The old man's eyes are bright and see clearly.

了 — liào

1. unofficial variant of 瞭 (to look out; to understand clearly)

   他了望远方，神情严肃。 tā lewàng yuǎnfāng shénqíng yánsù — He gazed into the distance with a serious look.