Usage of 以为 (yǐ wéi)

Meaning: To think / to assume — and be wrong.

Context: Reports a belief that later turned out to be mistaken. Often followed by 结果… or 其实…

Structure:

Note: 以为 carries the wrongness built in — saying 我以为今天是星期天 already tells the listener it was not. For a plain opinion with no such implication, use 觉得 or 想 instead.

• • 小王以为真的没事了。
  (Xiao Wang took it that everything really was fine. / From Text)
• • 我以为今天是星期天，结果公司没放假。
  (I thought today was Sunday, but the office was open after all.)
• • 我以为你不来了，所以我先走了。
  (I assumed you were not coming, so I left first.)

Usage of 还 (hái)

Meaning: Still / yet.

Context: Says that a situation is carrying on and has not changed.

Structure:

Note: do not mix up 还 with 再. 还 is about something continuing (她还在生气 — she is still angry); 再 is about something repeating (再说一次 — say it once more).

• • 女朋友还在生气。
  (His girlfriend is still angry. / From Text)
• • 我还没吃饭。
  (I still have not eaten.)
• • 这家店的蛋糕还不错。
  (The cake at this shop is pretty good.)

Usage of 着 (zhe)

Meaning: Marks a state that is staying that way.

Context: Attaches to a verb to show the resulting state continues — something written stays written, someone sitting stays seated.

Structure:

Note: 着 is not the same as 在. 在 marks an action in progress (她在写 — she is writing); 着 marks the state that lasts (上面写着 — there is something written on it).

• • 女朋友的朋友圈写着…
  (Her WeChat Moments post had written on it… / From Text)
• • 她笑着说：“没事。”
  (Smiling, she said “It’s fine.”)
• • 他们坐着聊天，很开心。
  (They sat there chatting away happily.)