<p>I am a linguistically oriented intermediate/advanced learner of Chinese.  Please interpret the value of my comments or lack thereof with that in mind.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I would like to understand why 了 is necessary after 包含.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It is not necessary, but its use gives an elegant nuance in accordance with the thrust of the paragraph as I will try to explain below.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In other words, 包含 here doesn't seem like something that &quot;completes&quot;
at some point of time.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>This 了 might be understood as indicating the act of 包括 &quot;completed&quot; at
some point of time during the whole lifecycle of imported products,
but I'm not sure.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I think that teaching the use of “perfective” 了 in terms of “completion” can be effective, particularly for those beginning Chinese; however, I think it is actually an incorrect notion and somewhat misleading for some style of learners and thinkers.</p>
<p>In my current linguistic paradigm, I think of 了 as universally referencing an endpoint with or without completion, and the trick is in understanding which endpoint is referenced and why (i.e., what is accomplished from a discourse point of view.)</p>
<p>With present reference, 包含 and 包括 tend to reference <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexical_aspect" rel="nofollow noreferrer">states</a>.  This is the same as with English “include” and “comprise.”  States are by definition incompatible with endpoints and so would seem incompatible with 了.  These verbs, however,  can also be interpreted as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexical_aspect" rel="nofollow noreferrer">achievements</a>, which is common with past reference, but not so common with present reference.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>這其中包含了許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here the topic time is the present, so the comment must be interpreted with present reference.  What 了 does is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coercion_(linguistics)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">coerce</a> an achievement reading of 包含.  The action is in the past, but the results of the action are in the present.  This nuance can be brought out in English by translating this clause as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Among these have been included congenital factors like heredity,
physique, and so forth.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This use of 了 with the possibility of present reference is always available but particularly salient with presentative sentences like 来了很多人 (“many people had come/came/have come”) and 牌子上写了两个子 (“two characters had been/were/have been written on the sign”).</p>
<p>The use of 了 here is not necessary but elegantly signals that the author is not personally asserting that congenital factors are dispositive but merely reporting a fact reached by others.  This nuance foreshadows the conclusion that this view may be incorrect as stated in the last sentence.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>實際上卻包括了水資源的交換。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The use of 了 here is similar.  It signals an endpoint in the past with present results.  You could translate this clause as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In fact, however, it has included the exchange of water resources.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>By using 了, the author elegantly changes the statement from a bland assertion of opinion to the reporting of an accomplished fact whose importance the reader may have missed.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-22T16:38:42.040Z
2024-11-22T16:38:42.040Z
Vegawatcher
<p>When talking about &quot;a fact&quot;, 了 alters the style/tune of the expression:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Direct reference: &quot;事實<strong>包含/括</strong> 1,2,3...&quot; - &quot;the fact <strong>includes</strong> 1,2,3... (list of factor or factors)&quot; -</p>
</li>
<li><p>Indirect reference: &quot;事實<strong>包含/括了</strong> 1,2,3...&quot; - &quot;the thing/things <strong>included</strong> in the fact <strong>is/are</strong> 1,2,3... (list of factor or factors)&quot;</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>I'll translate the two example passages as:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>壽命長短男女有別，這其中<strong>包含了</strong>許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。There are differences in life span between men and women [a factual statement], <strong>included</strong> in it [the fact] <strong>are</strong> many congenital factors, such as genetics or physical aspects.</p>
</li>
<li><p>儘管檯面上的交易只看得到農產品, 實際上卻<strong>包括了</strong>水資源的交換 - Although the transactions on the counter only see agricultural products, actually, <strong>included</strong> in the fact <strong>is</strong> ....</p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-03T16:06:44.637Z
Can you give me an example where this approach doesn't work because the sentence doesn't meet the condition of "when taking about a fact"?
tuo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-03T18:55:44.057Z
"Fact" is not a unique condition, it can be "a theory" or "an event", that contains a factor/matter or factors/matters. The key to my answer is that, when talking about the factor(s)/matter(s) contained within a fact/theory/event, we can use two different expressions - "included in the fact is/are... (這事實/理論/事件包含**了**...)", or "the fact includes.... (這事實/理論/事件包含....)". Hope this clears the air.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-03T21:49:08.877Z
I understand your explanation as meaning 了 shifts focus to what comes after it like an inverted English sentence puts focus on the subject after the verb. Does this work with verbs like 說明 and 代表, too? I have similar doubts about sentences like this: 這也說明**了**為何許多不需要克服難題的有錢人，其實並不快樂。
tuo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-04T00:59:29.317Z
I call it a tense indicator, "這也**說明了**... - This also (has) **explained** that...", and similarly, "這也**代表了**... - This also **represented** that..."
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-02T17:36:18.770Z
2024-11-02T17:36:18.770Z
r13
<p>&quot;了&quot;这个字也有表示<code>完成</code>的意思，&quot;了&quot;在汉语中更多的是用作<code>语气助词</code>，一定情况下可以把&quot;了&quot;去掉，而句子的意思没有改变，所以你的句子可以写作(去掉&quot;了&quot;)：</p>
<p>参考链接： <a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E4%BA%86/341748?fr=ge_ala" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E4%BA%86/341748?fr=ge_ala</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>“寿命长短男女有别，这其中包含许多如遗传或体质等方面的先天因素。但许多专家认为，与其说这种差距与男性基因有关，不如说与男人对健康的态度有关。”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>在这里，<code>包含</code>和<code>包含了</code>表达的意思是一样的，用<code>包含</code>或<code>包含了</code>都可以。</p>
<p>其他需要加&quot;了&quot;使得句子更加完整(或通顺)的情况：</p>
<p><code>路人甲</code>看到<code>路人丙</code>躺在地上，便问<code>路人乙</code>，</p>
<blockquote>
<p>路人丙是什么情况?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>通常不会这样说</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他死。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>这样的中文说法感觉不完整，通常会说：</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他死了。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>这样说感觉句子更通顺，这样的表达不仅出现在口语中，也出现在书面用语中，&quot;了&quot;在这里是用作<code>语气助词</code></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-02T03:41:02.870Z
2024-11-19T02:55:09.920Z
2024-11-19T02:55:09.920Z
Tom
<blockquote>
<p>寿命长短男女有别，这其中包含了许多如遗传或体质方面等先天因素。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>&quot;<strong>了</strong>&quot; in &quot;<strong>这</strong>其中包含<strong>了</strong>&quot; emphasizes the logical relationship between this sentence and the <strong>previous</strong> sentence &quot;寿命长短男女有别&quot;。</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<p>我给<strong>了</strong>他20块钱, 这其中包括<strong>了</strong>吃饭和加油的费用. The first &quot;<strong>了</strong>&quot; in &quot;给了&quot; means &quot;I did it&quot; or &quot;I have got it done&quot;. The second &quot;<strong>了</strong>&quot; in &quot;包括了&quot; emphasizes the relationship between &quot;吃饭和加油的费用&quot; to the <strong>previously</strong> mentioned &quot;20块钱&quot;. It implies that &quot;I have paid him all of the money&quot;.</p>
<p>Another example:</p>
<p>我给了他20块钱, 这其中包括吃饭和加油的费用, 不包括买衣服的钱. We did not use &quot;了&quot; after &quot;包括&quot; to give some flexibility to the unpaid part. You can also say &quot;包括了什么，没包括什么&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-03T16:00:44.037Z
What if this was one sentence like 壽命長短男女有別的原因包含（＿）許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素? Would it be weird to put 了 in the blank?
tuo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-03T17:04:31.407Z
（1）壽命長短男女有別的原因**包含**許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。（2）壽命長短男女有別的原因**包含了**許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。（3）壽命長短男女有別的原因**包含着**許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。（4）壽命長短男女有別的原因**可能包含**許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。Sentences (2) and (3) are more comfirmative than (1), but (4) is more polite and gentle than (1).
PdotWang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-03T14:13:35.217Z
2024-11-03T15:48:54.807Z
2024-11-03T15:48:54.807Z
PdotWang
<p>From ordinary, everyday English, three similar examples:</p>
<p>I think that you are wonderful.<br />
I think you are wonderful.</p>
<p>I know that Donald will win.<br />
I know Donald will win.</p>
<p>I see that you are angry.<br />
I see you are angry.</p>
<p>We may include, use, <em>that</em>, or not in the above. The meaning does not change.</p>
<p>What if Chinese, a language with which you may not be too familiar, does this too?</p>
<p>Now look at</p>
<p>壽命長短男女有別，<br />
Life long or short men women have differences,<br />
這其中包含了許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。<br />
these (differences) among include <em>that</em> many as hereditary or physical conditions aspects etcetera innate factors</p>
<p>You may have heard 了 le indicates something past, in the same manner as 过。But 了, spoken liǎo means finish (via understand clearly)。Could it be, Chinese has confounded these two,  了 le and  了, liǎo?</p>
<p>How is it (that) we may say:</p>
<p>包含了</p>
<p>or</p>
<p>包含</p>
<p>without a change in meaning? What if this 了 is <em>that</em>?</p>
<p>Our brains organise ideas and reference them using <em>that</em>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-06T20:01:41.130Z
2024-11-06T20:01:41.130Z
Pedroski
<p><a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/59138/a-bit-confused-with-result-complements-and-potential-complements">a bit confused with result complements and potential complements</a>. What the questioner posts supports the answer of @r13 in my opinion, although that question itself focused on using Verb+Adj.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complements" rel="nofollow noreferrer">link</a> he posted,</p>
<p><strong>Structure</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>For the basic structure, you'll almost always see a 了 after the complement:</p>
<pre><code>Subj. + Verb + Adj. + 了 (+ Obj.)
</code></pre>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>When using result complements, it's very common to <strong>make the object a topic</strong>. This means the object is moved to the beginning of the sentence and the subject is often omitted.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Examples</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>杯子摔坏了。The cup is broken.</p>
<p>房间打扫干净了吗？Is your room all cleaned up?</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Variants</strong> of combining 把-sentences</p>
<blockquote>
<p>我把杯子摔坏了。I broke the cup.</p>
<p>我把房间打扫干净了。We've cleaned the room.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-04T01:12:12.060Z
2024-11-04T01:27:13.593Z
2024-11-04T01:27:13.593Z
zrsammy
<p>This is from a mock exam for Taiwan's TOCFL test.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>壽命長短男女有別，這其中包含<strong>了</strong>許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。但許多專家認為，與其說這種差距與男性基因有關，倒不如說與男人對健康的態度有關。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I would like to understand why 了 is necessary after 包含. It seems to me that the difference in lifespan between men and women including genetic or physiological factors is a static relationship not bound to any particular point of time. In other words, 包含 here doesn't seem like something that &quot;completes&quot; at some point of time. Then what's 了 for?</p>
<hr />
<p>Here is another similar example from the same source.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>這些地區可以通過農作物，將水資源「出口」到較為炎熱乾旱的國家。而氣候向來乾旱的國家，則可以「進口」需水量很大的農作物，紓緩國內水資源不足的壓力。儘管檯面上的交易只看得到農產品，實際上卻包括<strong>了</strong>水資源的交換。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This 了 might be understood as indicating the act of 包括 &quot;completed&quot; at some point of time during the whole lifecycle of imported products, but I'm not sure.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-02T06:24:32.907Z
Not familiar with the test but for daily use I can keep the meaning without saying 了. Curious about the subtle difference in Taiwan.
zrsammy
<particles>
了 with a verb that appears to be stative
# 了 with a verb that appears to be stative

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-11-02)

This is from a mock exam for Taiwan's TOCFL test.

> 壽命長短男女有別，這其中包含**了**許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。但許多專家認為，與其說這種差距與男性基因有關，倒不如說與男人對健康的態度有關。

I would like to understand why 了 is necessary after 包含. It seems to me that the difference in lifespan between men and women including genetic or physiological factors is a static relationship not bound to any particular point of time. In other words, 包含 here doesn't seem like something that "completes" at some point of time. Then what's 了 for?

---

Here is another similar example from the same source.

> 這些地區可以通過農作物，將水資源「出口」到較為炎熱乾旱的國家。而氣候向來乾旱的國家，則可以「進口」需水量很大的農作物，紓緩國內水資源不足的壓力。儘管檯面上的交易只看得到農產品，實際上卻包括**了**水資源的交換。

This 了 might be understood as indicating the act of 包括 "completed" at some point of time during the whole lifecycle of imported products, but I'm not sure.

**Tags:** particles

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Not familiar with the test but for daily use I can keep the meaning without saying 了. Curious about the subtle difference in Taiwan.  

---

## 6 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-11-22. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

I am a linguistically oriented intermediate/advanced learner of Chinese. Please interpret the value of my comments or lack thereof with that in mind.

> I would like to understand why 了 is necessary after 包含.

It is not necessary, but its use gives an elegant nuance in accordance with the thrust of the paragraph as I will try to explain below.

> In other words, 包含 here doesn't seem like something that "completes"
> at some point of time.

> This 了 might be understood as indicating the act of 包括 "completed" at
> some point of time during the whole lifecycle of imported products,
> but I'm not sure.

I think that teaching the use of “perfective” 了 in terms of “completion” can be effective, particularly for those beginning Chinese; however, I think it is actually an incorrect notion and somewhat misleading for some style of learners and thinkers.

In my current linguistic paradigm, I think of 了 as universally referencing an endpoint with or without completion, and the trick is in understanding which endpoint is referenced and why (i.e., what is accomplished from a discourse point of view.)

With present reference, 包含 and 包括 tend to reference [states](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexical_aspect). This is the same as with English “include” and “comprise.” States are by definition incompatible with endpoints and so would seem incompatible with 了. These verbs, however, can also be interpreted as [achievements](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexical_aspect), which is common with past reference, but not so common with present reference.

> 這其中包含了許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素

Here the topic time is the present, so the comment must be interpreted with present reference. What 了 does is [coerce](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coercion_(linguistics)) an achievement reading of 包含. The action is in the past, but the results of the action are in the present. This nuance can be brought out in English by translating this clause as:

> Among these have been included congenital factors like heredity,
> physique, and so forth.

This use of 了 with the possibility of present reference is always available but particularly salient with presentative sentences like 来了很多人 (“many people had come/came/have come”) and 牌子上写了两个子 (“two characters had been/were/have been written on the sign”).

The use of 了 here is not necessary but elegantly signals that the author is not personally asserting that congenital factors are dispositive but merely reporting a fact reached by others. This nuance foreshadows the conclusion that this view may be incorrect as stated in the last sentence.

> 實際上卻包括了水資源的交換。

The use of 了 here is similar. It signals an endpoint in the past with present results. You could translate this clause as:

> In fact, however, it has included the exchange of water resources.

By using 了, the author elegantly changes the statement from a bland assertion of opinion to the reporting of an accomplished fact whose importance the reader may have missed.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-11-02. Score: 2

When talking about "a fact", 了 alters the style/tune of the expression:

* Direct reference: "事實**包含/括** 1,2,3..." - "the fact **includes** 1,2,3... (list of factor or factors)" -
* Indirect reference: "事實**包含/括了** 1,2,3..." - "the thing/things **included** in the fact **is/are** 1,2,3... (list of factor or factors)"

I'll translate the two example passages as:

* 壽命長短男女有別，這其中**包含了**許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。There are differences in life span between men and women [a factual statement], **included** in it [the fact] **are** many congenital factors, such as genetics or physical aspects.
* 儘管檯面上的交易只看得到農產品, 實際上卻**包括了**水資源的交換 - Although the transactions on the counter only see agricultural products, actually, **included** in the fact **is** ....

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Can you give me an example where this approach doesn't work because the sentence doesn't meet the condition of "when taking about a fact"?  
> **username_3**: "Fact" is not a unique condition, it can be "a theory" or "an event", that contains a factor/matter or factors/matters. The key to my answer is that, when talking about the factor(s)/matter(s) contained within a fact/theory/event, we can use two different expressions - "included in the fact is/are... (這事實/理論/事件包含**了**...)", or "the fact includes.... (這事實/理論/事件包含....)". Hope this clears the air.  
> **username_0**: I understand your explanation as meaning 了 shifts focus to what comes after it like an inverted English sentence puts focus on the subject after the verb. Does this work with verbs like 說明 and 代表, too? I have similar doubts about sentences like this: 這也說明**了**為何許多不需要克服難題的有錢人，其實並不快樂。  
> **username_3**: I call it a tense indicator, "這也**說明了**... - This also (has) **explained** that...", and similarly, "這也**代表了**... - This also **represented** that..."  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2024-11-02. Score: 1

"了"这个字也有表示`完成`的意思，"了"在汉语中更多的是用作`语气助词`，一定情况下可以把"了"去掉，而句子的意思没有改变，所以你的句子可以写作(去掉"了")：

参考链接： <https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E4%BA%86/341748?fr=ge_ala>

> “寿命长短男女有别，这其中包含许多如遗传或体质等方面的先天因素。但许多专家认为，与其说这种差距与男性基因有关，不如说与男人对健康的态度有关。”

在这里，`包含`和`包含了`表达的意思是一样的，用`包含`或`包含了`都可以。

其他需要加"了"使得句子更加完整(或通顺)的情况：

`路人甲`看到`路人丙`躺在地上，便问`路人乙`，

> 路人丙是什么情况?

通常不会这样说

> 他死。

这样的中文说法感觉不完整，通常会说：

> 他死了。

这样说感觉句子更通顺，这样的表达不仅出现在口语中，也出现在书面用语中，"了"在这里是用作`语气助词`


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2024-11-03. Score: 1

> 寿命长短男女有别，这其中包含了许多如遗传或体质方面等先天因素。

"**了**" in "**这**其中包含**了**" emphasizes the logical relationship between this sentence and the **previous** sentence "寿命长短男女有别"。

For example:

我给**了**他20块钱, 这其中包括**了**吃饭和加油的费用. The first "**了**" in "给了" means "I did it" or "I have got it done". The second "**了**" in "包括了" emphasizes the relationship between "吃饭和加油的费用" to the **previously** mentioned "20块钱". It implies that "I have paid him all of the money".

Another example:

我给了他20块钱, 这其中包括吃饭和加油的费用, 不包括买衣服的钱. We did not use "了" after "包括" to give some flexibility to the unpaid part. You can also say "包括了什么，没包括什么".

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: What if this was one sentence like 壽命長短男女有別的原因包含（＿）許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素? Would it be weird to put 了 in the blank?  
> **username_5**: （1）壽命長短男女有別的原因**包含**許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。（2）壽命長短男女有別的原因**包含了**許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。（3）壽命長短男女有別的原因**包含着**許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。（4）壽命長短男女有別的原因**可能包含**許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。Sentences (2) and (3) are more comfirmative than (1), but (4) is more polite and gentle than (1).  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2024-11-06. Score: 0

From ordinary, everyday English, three similar examples:

I think that you are wonderful.  
I think you are wonderful.

I know that Donald will win.  
I know Donald will win.

I see that you are angry.  
I see you are angry.

We may include, use, *that*, or not in the above. The meaning does not change.

What if Chinese, a language with which you may not be too familiar, does this too?

Now look at

壽命長短男女有別，  
Life long or short men women have differences,  
這其中包含了許多如遺傳或體質方面等先天因素。  
these (differences) among include *that* many as hereditary or physical conditions aspects etcetera innate factors

You may have heard 了 le indicates something past, in the same manner as 过。But 了, spoken liǎo means finish (via understand clearly)。Could it be, Chinese has confounded these two, 了 le and 了, liǎo?

How is it (that) we may say:

包含了

or

包含

without a change in meaning? What if this 了 is *that*?

Our brains organise ideas and reference them using *that*.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2024-11-04. Score: 0

[a bit confused with result complements and potential complements](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/59138/a-bit-confused-with-result-complements-and-potential-complements). What the questioner posts supports the answer of @username_3 in my opinion, although that question itself focused on using Verb+Adj.

According to the [link](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complements) he posted,

**Structure**

> For the basic structure, you'll almost always see a 了 after the complement:
>
> ```
> Subj. + Verb + Adj. + 了 (+ Obj.)
>
> ```

> When using result complements, it's very common to **make the object a topic**. This means the object is moved to the beginning of the sentence and the subject is often omitted.

**Examples**

> 杯子摔坏了。The cup is broken.
>
> 房间打扫干净了吗？Is your room all cleaned up?

**Variants** of combining 把-sentences

> 我把杯子摔坏了。I broke the cup.
>
> 我把房间打扫干净了。We've cleaned the room.


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