posted by murrayjames on August 3, 2014 | 3 comments
How do you know when to use 当天 dāngtiān/dàngtiān? After checking some example sentences in my dictionaries, I still can't figure out the rule.
他当天就回老家去了。 Tā dāngtiān jiù huí lǎojiā qù le.
票是当天的。 Piào shì dāngtiān de. The ticket is for the same day.
当天的事 当天做完。 Dàngtiān de shì dàngtiān zuò wán. Today's work must be done today.
你可以当天来回。 Nǐ kěyǐ dàngtiān láihuí. You can go and come back on the same day.
@murrayjames,1. 当天dàng tiān: 同一天， 就在本天. The same day; that very day.i.e. 当天的事，当天做完； 你可以当天来回。（the same day）2. 当天 dāng tiān: 过去的某一个时间. Sometime in the past.i.e. 他当天就回老家去了. It's the same usage as 当年dàng nián: 同一年，就在本年. The same year; that very year.dāng nián: 过去的某一段时间. In those years or days; that year.Hope it helps out:)
murrayjames on August 5, 2014 | reply
Hi Grace, thanks for your reply. I have some follow-up questions though.
If I change the first sentence to: “4月20日是他母亲的生日。他当天就回老家去了。”Is 当天 now pronounced dàngtiān ?
I'm also confused by the second dictionary sentence:
票是当天的。 Piào shì dāngtiān de. The ticket is for the same day.
当天 here means "the same day". Shouldn't this be dàngtiān (not dāngtiān)?
Elementary on August 8, 2014 | reply
@murrayjames,
1. Yes. “4月20日是他母亲的生日。他当天就回老家去了。”当天 is pronounced dàngtiān ?(That very day/ the same day as in 4月20日)
2.If it means the same day, then it should be pronouced "dàng tiān". :)
--Grace