<p>The word "娛樂", as you said, means "entertainment". Since it is a noun, it cannot be used in the "在 + verb" construction. </p>

<p>Generally speaking, the "subject + 在 + verb" form means that the subject is <em>doing</em> the verb (for a lack of better wording). Even using the word for "entertaining", which is best translated as "有趣" as pointed out by @young99, would not make sense, as the word "entertaining" in this sense is a <strong>gerund</strong>. </p>

<p>Unlike english, gerunds are not equivalent to the present tense of a base word (entertain > entertaining), and in this case originates from a completely different stem. In fact, the proper definition for "有趣" is "interesting", but in this case means the same as "entertaining".</p>

<p>Finally, to answer your question, "Event + 在 + verb" is not a valid way to describe an event, as it implies that the event is coming to life and physically doing some action. You are instead looking for the construction "Event + is + gerund", in which case the "is" should be replaced by "很".</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>e.g. 端午節**很+*有趣！</p>
</blockquote>

<p>p.s. I'm glad you enjoyed the dragon boat festival!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-01T14:56:15.310Z
2017-07-01T15:19:15.157Z
2017-07-01T15:19:15.157Z
as4s4hetic
<p>Don't translate the English too directly.</p>

<p>very entertaining.<br>
真好看！<br>
真精彩！</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-02T00:53:00.800Z
2017-07-02T00:53:00.800Z
Pedroski
<p>A few alternatives include for example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <ul>
  <li>赞！<br>
  <sup>Zàn!</sup></li>
  <li>有趣！<br>
  <sup>Yǒuqù!</sup></li>
  <li>哦哟不错哦！<br>
  <sup>Ó yō bùcuò ó!</sup></li>
  <li>有意思！<br>
  <sup>Yǒuyìsi!</sup></li>
  <li>不错不错！<br>
  <sup>Bùcuò bùcuò!</sup></li>
  <li>我很感兴趣！<br>
  <sup>Wǒ hěn gǎn xìngqù!</sup></li>
  <li>太好玩啦！<br>
  <sup>Tài hǎowán la!</sup></li>
  </ul>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-19T11:38:06.850Z
2017-07-22T15:36:44.597Z
2017-07-22T15:36:44.597Z
Singing
<blockquote>
<p>'This event is <strong>entertaining</strong>'</p>
<p>'這個活動很<strong>富娛樂性</strong>'</p>
</blockquote>
<p>'Entertaining' in this context is an adjective, which is translated as '富娛樂性(的)/有娛樂性(的)'in Chinese.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>[entertaining] = [富娛樂性]</p>
</li>
<li><p>[entertaining + noun] = [富娛樂性(的) + noun]</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>'<strong>Entertaining</strong> event' is '<strong>富娛樂性的</strong>活動/節目'</p>
<p>'<strong>Enjoyable</strong> event' is  '<strong>讓人享受的</strong>活動/節目'</p>
<p>'<strong>Fun</strong> event' is '<strong>有趣的</strong>活動/節目'</p>
<p>~</p>
<p><strong>Edition</strong>:</p>
<p>Patrick Dark wrote:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>I changed my text to &quot;娛樂性!&quot;. &quot;富&quot; would seem to be unnecessary since that's implied by use of an exclamation mark.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>No, 富  or 有  is necessary in this context</p>
<p>娛樂性 means</p>
<ol>
<li>(adj) ' of entertainment'</li>
</ol>
<p>Example: 這是一個<strong>娛樂性</strong>活動 (this is an event <strong>of entertainment</strong> / this is an <strong>entertainment</strong> event)</p>
<ol start="2">
<li>(n)  'entertaining element'</li>
</ol>
<p>Example: 這個活動的<strong>娛樂性</strong>不高 (this event's <strong>entertainment element</strong> is not high)</p>
<p>富/有娛樂性(的) literally means &quot;~ that have entertainment element&quot;. It is used as an adjectival phrase in a whole. Equal to 'entertaining'(adj) in English.
'</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-03T03:23:31.760Z
I changed my text to "娛樂性!". "富" would seem to be unnecessary since that's implied by use of an exclamation mark.
Patrick Dark
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-03T04:23:02.017Z
@Patrick Dark-- Please see my edition.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-01T15:30:12.957Z
2017-07-04T00:51:37.040Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>How do I best translate the interjection "Entertaining!" as in "This event is entertaining!"?</p>

<p>I used "娛樂!"; this seems safe since, at worst, it can be interpreted as "Entertainment!", which has roughly the same meaning. I'm thinking that this should have been "在娛樂!" though based on usage described at <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_actions_in_progress_with_%22zai%22" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_actions_in_progress_with_%22zai%22</a>.</p>

<p>All examples of the "在 + verb" construction that I've seen involve personal pronouns (such as "我在..." and "你在..."), however, which leads me to be skeptical that this rule is generally applicable.</p>

<p>In other words, is it good Chinese to say "event + 在 + verb" (where "event" is a personified object) (e.g., 端午節在娛樂!) and then shorten that to "在娛樂!"?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-01T13:18:54.457Z
This event is entertaining. 這個活動/事件/節目/節日很有趣。
young99
<translation><grammar>
How do I best translate the interjection "Entertaining!"?
# How do I best translate the interjection "Entertaining!"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-07-01)

How do I best translate the interjection "Entertaining!" as in "This event is entertaining!"?

I used "娛樂!"; this seems safe since, at worst, it can be interpreted as "Entertainment!", which has roughly the same meaning. I'm thinking that this should have been "在娛樂!" though based on usage described at <https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_actions_in_progress_with_%22zai%22>.

All examples of the "在 + verb" construction that I've seen involve personal pronouns (such as "我在..." and "你在..."), however, which leads me to be skeptical that this rule is generally applicable.

In other words, is it good Chinese to say "event + 在 + verb" (where "event" is a personified object) (e.g., 端午節在娛樂!) and then shorten that to "在娛樂!"?

**Tags:** translation, grammar

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This event is entertaining. 這個活動/事件/節目/節日很有趣。  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2017-07-01. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

> 'This event is **entertaining**'
>
> '這個活動很**富娛樂性**'

'Entertaining' in this context is an adjective, which is translated as '富娛樂性(的)/有娛樂性(的)'in Chinese.

* [entertaining] = [富娛樂性]
* [entertaining + noun] = [富娛樂性(的) + noun]

'**Entertaining** event' is '**富娛樂性的**活動/節目'

'**Enjoyable** event' is '**讓人享受的**活動/節目'

'**Fun** event' is '**有趣的**活動/節目'

~

**Edition**:

username_0 username_0 wrote:

> *I changed my text to "娛樂性!". "富" would seem to be unnecessary since that's implied by use of an exclamation mark.*

No, 富 or 有 is necessary in this context

娛樂性 means

1. (adj) ' of entertainment'

Example: 這是一個**娛樂性**活動 (this is an event **of entertainment** / this is an **entertainment** event)

2. (n) 'entertaining element'

Example: 這個活動的**娛樂性**不高 (this event's **entertainment element** is not high)

富/有娛樂性(的) literally means "~ that have entertainment element". It is used as an adjectival phrase in a whole. Equal to 'entertaining'(adj) in English.
'

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I changed my text to "娛樂性!". "富" would seem to be unnecessary since that's implied by use of an exclamation mark.  
> **username_5**: @username_0-- Please see my edition.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-07-01. Score: 2

The word "娛樂", as you said, means "entertainment". Since it is a noun, it cannot be used in the "在 + verb" construction.

Generally speaking, the "subject + 在 + verb" form means that the subject is *doing* the verb (for a lack of better wording). Even using the word for "entertaining", which is best translated as "有趣" as pointed out by @username_1, would not make sense, as the word "entertaining" in this sense is a **gerund**.

Unlike english, gerunds are not equivalent to the present tense of a base word (entertain > entertaining), and in this case originates from a completely different stem. In fact, the proper definition for "有趣" is "interesting", but in this case means the same as "entertaining".

Finally, to answer your question, "Event + 在 + verb" is not a valid way to describe an event, as it implies that the event is coming to life and physically doing some action. You are instead looking for the construction "Event + is + gerund", in which case the "is" should be replaced by "很".

> e.g. 端午節\*\*很+\*有趣！

p.s. I'm glad you enjoyed the dragon boat festival!


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-07-02. Score: 1

Don't translate the English too directly.

very entertaining.  
真好看！  
真精彩！


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-07-19. Score: 0

A few alternatives include for example:

> * 赞！  
>   Zàn!
> * 有趣！  
>   Yǒuqù!
> * 哦哟不错哦！  
>   Ó yō bùcuò ó!
> * 有意思！  
>   Yǒuyìsi!
> * 不错不错！  
>   Bùcuò bùcuò!
> * 我很感兴趣！  
>   Wǒ hěn gǎn xìngqù!
> * 太好玩啦！  
>   Tài hǎowán la!


---

