<p>this is a sentence with a nominal predicate，e。g。see 实用现代汉语语法 ６６７页 第四节  名词谓语句 （Sentences with nominal predicates）
（四）描写主语的状况、特征或属性。谓语多是带有形容词或数量词的名词短语。(describing condition，characteristic features or properties，predicate often is an NP (noun phrase) with adjective or measure word)
other examples (in particular note (4)):
(1)这个十九岁的姑娘， 高 高 的 个 子， 一 双 眼 睛， 显得很机灵。（描写容貌)
（２）张大哥 急 性 子， 张大嫂 慢 性 子。 （描写性格）
（３）桌前 两 三 把 小 沙 发 和 一 个 矮 茶  几 儿。（描写室内状况，陈设）
（４）日头将没不没的时候，水面  一 片 红 光， 耀眼睛！（描写景色）
note that this type of sentence is characterized by the absence of the verb 是。Therefore *天空是一片蔚藍 appears substandard to say the least, besides in this type of sentence subject and predicate in general cannot be interchanged, therefore 一片蔚藍天空 appears
ungrammatical.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-22T05:28:20.893Z
Wow, thanks for the explanation! I'm trying to get my head wrap around it. I'm not very good with grammar.

I was really confuse at first about whether or not, "一片蔚藍" was consider something like a noun. Thanks for clearing it up a bit. 

By the way, what if it was "天空一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧"? Does this changes anything? 

Like is "天空一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧" not consider a nominal predicate anymore? Can we say "天空是一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧"?
Is "一片蔚藍天空，很漂亮吧" grammatically correct now?   

Like I mention earlier, I'm not very good with grammar. My apologies for staying up late, trying to figure this out awhile maybe overlooking something.
chinese_beginner_need_help
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-22T05:43:04.740Z
claim in answer #2 that 一片蔚藍天空 is ungrammatical appears false, this user was apparently thinking of other typical sentences with nominal predicate, like 
一吨两千斤，现在十二点，他英国人，我加拿大人，我两个男孩，我妹妹一儿 一女，where subject and predicate cannot be interchanged,in the case of 天空一片蔚藍---一片蔚藍天空 the interchange of course leads to a noun with adjective, numeral and measure word, that is an NP(no longer a sentence).
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-22T12:52:44.377Z
it seems 一片蔚藍 is a noun phrase consisting of numeral－measure word combination and noun describing a color） (蔚藍 apparently can be considered as noun denoting a color, although perhaps mainly functioning as adjective), note corresponding entry in 现代汉语词典：蔚蓝：像晴朗的天空那样的颜色：～的天空，～的海洋 （examples showing use as adjective），could be compared with  一 片 红 光  in example （４） of second answer， where more clearly 红光 is a noun）。天空一片蔚藍is a complete sentence，so above question amounts to asking whether one can add 很漂亮吧  （subject omitted）following this complete sentence （it would seem possible）。
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-23T04:59:05.877Z
So "一片蔚藍" can be consider both noun and adjective? 

Could "一片蔚藍的天空" be another possible way to say the phrase, "An azure blue sky"? 

After doing some researching, could you consider "蔚藍" as a disyllabic adjective? If it is, it could answer my new thought that adding '的' is optional.

Thanks for all the grammar explanation! I'm happy that I pretty much got my answers for the questions from the original post.
chinese_beginner_need_help
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-23T05:44:00.433Z
Looking over what I learn so far, I think "天空一片蔚藍" and "天空一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧" are adjective predicate instead of nominal predicate. And I think "蔚藍" is consider an adjective in "一片蔚藍天空". Of course I could be wrong since I'm bad with grammar. It just seems to make sense to me. If I was able to up vote your comment, I would do it. I'm glad I posted here, I learned alot here.
chinese_beginner_need_help
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-22T04:32:31.727Z
2014-10-22T04:32:31.727Z
user6065
<p>Can " 天空一片蔚藍 " also be  "一片蔚藍天空"? And what's the reason?</p>

<p>Could "天空是一片蔚藍" be correct too?</p>

<p>Also can someone give a good translation? I just translate it as "An azure blue sky". </p>

<p>I might be over thinking it but I really want to know. Thanks.</p>

<p>Just want to add another thing. Another sentence I encounter is "天空一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧". </p>

<p>Can we say both "一片蔚藍天空，很漂亮吧" and "天空是一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧"?</p>

<translation><sentence-structure>
Can " 天空一片蔚藍 " also be "一片蔚藍天空"? And translation please?
# Can " 天空一片蔚藍 " also be "一片蔚藍天空"? And translation please?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-10-21)

Can " 天空一片蔚藍 " also be "一片蔚藍天空"? And what's the reason?

Could "天空是一片蔚藍" be correct too?

Also can someone give a good translation? I just translate it as "An azure blue sky".

I might be over thinking it but I really want to know. Thanks.

Just want to add another thing. Another sentence I encounter is "天空一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧".

Can we say both "一片蔚藍天空，很漂亮吧" and "天空是一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧"?

**Tags:** translation, sentence-structure


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-10-22. Score: 2

this is a sentence with a nominal predicate，e。g。see 实用现代汉语语法 ６６７页 第四节 名词谓语句 （Sentences with nominal predicates）
（四）描写主语的状况、特征或属性。谓语多是带有形容词或数量词的名词短语。(describing condition，characteristic features or properties，predicate often is an NP (noun phrase) with adjective or measure word)
other examples (in particular note (4)):
(1)这个十九岁的姑娘， 高 高 的 个 子， 一 双 眼 睛， 显得很机灵。（描写容貌)
（２）张大哥 急 性 子， 张大嫂 慢 性 子。 （描写性格）
（３）桌前 两 三 把 小 沙 发 和 一 个 矮 茶 几 儿。（描写室内状况，陈设）
（４）日头将没不没的时候，水面 一 片 红 光， 耀眼睛！（描写景色）
note that this type of sentence is characterized by the absence of the verb 是。Therefore \*天空是一片蔚藍 appears substandard to say the least, besides in this type of sentence subject and predicate in general cannot be interchanged, therefore 一片蔚藍天空 appears
ungrammatical.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Wow, thanks for the explanation! I'm trying to get my head wrap around it. I'm not very good with grammar.  I was really confuse at first about whether or not, "一片蔚藍" was consider something like a noun. Thanks for clearing it up a bit.   By the way, what if it was "天空一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧"? Does this changes anything?   Like is "天空一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧" not consider a nominal predicate anymore? Can we say "天空是一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧"? Is "一片蔚藍天空，很漂亮吧" grammatically correct now?     Like I mention earlier, I'm not very good with grammar. My apologies for staying up late, trying to figure this out awhile maybe overlooking something.  
> **username_1**: claim in answer #2 that 一片蔚藍天空 is ungrammatical appears false, this user was apparently thinking of other typical sentences with nominal predicate, like  一吨两千斤，现在十二点，他英国人，我加拿大人，我两个男孩，我妹妹一儿 一女，where subject and predicate cannot be interchanged,in the case of 天空一片蔚藍---一片蔚藍天空 the interchange of course leads to a noun with adjective, numeral and measure word, that is an NP(no longer a sentence).  
> **username_1**: it seems 一片蔚藍 is a noun phrase consisting of numeral－measure word combination and noun describing a color） (蔚藍 apparently can be considered as noun denoting a color, although perhaps mainly functioning as adjective), note corresponding entry in 现代汉语词典：蔚蓝：像晴朗的天空那样的颜色：～的天空，～的海洋 （examples showing use as adjective），could be compared with  一 片 红 光  in example （４） of second answer， where more clearly 红光 is a noun）。天空一片蔚藍is a complete sentence，so above question amounts to asking whether one can add 很漂亮吧  （subject omitted）following this complete sentence （it would seem possible）。  
> **username_0**: So "一片蔚藍" can be consider both noun and adjective?   Could "一片蔚藍的天空" be another possible way to say the phrase, "An azure blue sky"?   After doing some researching, could you consider "蔚藍" as a disyllabic adjective? If it is, it could answer my new thought that adding '的' is optional.  Thanks for all the grammar explanation! I'm happy that I pretty much got my answers for the questions from the original post.  
> **username_0**: Looking over what I learn so far, I think "天空一片蔚藍" and "天空一片蔚藍，很漂亮吧" are adjective predicate instead of nominal predicate. And I think "蔚藍" is consider an adjective in "一片蔚藍天空". Of course I could be wrong since I'm bad with grammar. It just seems to make sense to me. If I was able to up vote your comment, I would do it. I'm glad I posted here, I learned alot here.  

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