Intentional Action with 故意 in Chinese
故意
故意 marks an action as deliberate rather than accidental. It is an adverb and normally stands after the subject but before the action under its scope. Because it assigns intention to an agent, it combines naturally with controllable actions, not with weather, involuntary bodily states, or events lacking an intentional actor.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Subject + 故意 + Verb Phrase
Read the structure
故意 marks an action as deliberate rather than accidental. It is an adverb and normally stands after the subject but before the action under its scope. Because it assigns intention to an agent, it combines naturally with controllable actions, not with weather, involuntary bodily states, or events lacking an intentional actor. Keep the model Subject + 故意 + Verb Phrase visible while you compare each sentence.
他故意关上了门。
He deliberately closed the door.
Choose the right context
Place 故意 before a controllable action done on purpose. Use 不是故意的 to deny deliberate intent after an accident. Use 故意 to contrast a chosen action with an accidental one.
我不是故意的。
I did not do it on purpose.
Respect the boundary
Do not place 故意 after the completed verb-object phrase. Do not assign 故意 to weather or another event without an intentional agent. Do not use 故意 for a merely planned future action when deliberateness is not relevant.
他故意了关上门。
(He deliberately closed the door.)
Repair the pattern
Aspect marker attached to the intent adverb: 故意 is an adverb and cannot take perfective 了; 了 follows the resultative verb 关上 in this sentence. Intent adverb splits a fixed verb-object expression: 故意 must precede the action predicate 关门; it cannot split the fixed verb-object expression 关门.
他故意关上了门。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
他故意关上了门。
He deliberately closed the door.
他
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
故意
故意
This part occupies the 故意 position in the model pattern.
关
Verb Phrase
This part occupies the Verb Phrase position in the model pattern.
上了
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
门
故意
This part occupies the 故意 position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
他故意关上了门。
He deliberately closed the door.
我不是故意的。
I did not do it on purpose.
弟弟故意不回答。
My younger brother deliberately did not answer.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Place 故意 before a controllable action done on purpose.
- Use 不是故意的 to deny deliberate intent after an accident.
- Use 故意 to contrast a chosen action with an accidental one.
Do not use it when
- Do not place 故意 after the completed verb-object phrase.
- Do not assign 故意 to weather or another event without an intentional agent.
- Do not use 故意 for a merely planned future action when deliberateness is not relevant.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
他故意了关上门。
他故意关上了门。
Aspect marker attached to the intent adverb
故意 is an adverb and cannot take perfective 了; 了 follows the resultative verb 关上 in this sentence.
他关故意门。
他故意关门。
Intent adverb splits a fixed verb-object expression
故意 must precede the action predicate 关门; it cannot split the fixed verb-object expression 关门.
他故意了关上门。
故意 is an adverb and cannot take perfective 了; 了 follows the resultative verb 关上 in this sentence.
他关故意门。
故意 must precede the action predicate 关门; it cannot split the fixed verb-object expression 关门.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 故意.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 故意. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
Intentional Action with 故意 Questions
Where does negation go with 故意?
故意不做 means deliberately not do; 不是故意的 denies intentionality.
Is 故意 always negative?
No. It often describes blameworthy actions, but it can neutrally mean deliberately.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: GF0025-2021 Appendix A, Level 2 item 【二18】 (PDF p. 187)
Provides official Level 2 directory placement and examples only; it does not establish the learner-facing usage explanation.
Official sourceModern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.
Ross, Ma, Chen, He and Yeh · Routledge · 2024
Locator: Chapter 20, §20.2.1, example with preverbal 故意; Chapter 15, Adverbs
The cited example demonstrates 故意 before the intentional action; the adverb chapter supports its preverbal modifier position.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Easy to confuse
偷偷Covert Manner with 偷偷
故意 marks conscious intention, while 偷偷 marks covert manner; an intentional action need not be secret.
Compare
连动句：方式与目的Serial Verbs for Manner and Purpose
故意 marks intention before one action, whereas a serial-verb construction can express purpose through its second action.
Continue learning
马上/先/有时/正在Basic Time and Progress Adverbs
Compare 故意 as an adverb before action with 马上先有时正在, and review the positions of multiple adverbs when they co-occur.
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Compare 故意 as an adverb before action with 马上先有时正在, and review the positions of multiple adverbs when they co-occur.