难得(nándé)
Rarely / How Rare
Structure Pattern
Explanation
难得 (nándé) literally "hard to get" — expresses that something is rare or unusual. Often carries a positive, appreciative tone.
Example Sentences
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Nándé jīntiān tiānqì zhème hǎo.
Rare to have such nice weather today.
Nándé yǒu jīhuì, wǒmen qù chī dàcān ba.
Rare opportunity — let's have a feast.
Tā nándé huílái yí cì.
She rarely comes back.
Common Mistakes
Common Mistake
我难得生病。
Correct Usage
我很少生病。
Foreigners often mistakenly use 难得 to describe any event that happens rarely, even negative or neutral ones. However, 难得 carries a positive, appreciative tone, implying that the rarity itself is a good thing. Getting sick is not appreciated, so 很少 (very rarely/seldom) is the more natural and appropriate choice here.
Master 难得
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