? Indicates that a word or sentence is questionable * Indicates that the sentence is unacceptable (V).(C) A dot . between a verb and a resultative complement in a verb-complement construction indicates that the construction is inseparable and should be used as one unit, e.g., 听懂/聽懂 tīng.dǒng (understand by listening) (V)-(O) A hyphen – between a verb and an object in a V-O construction indicates that the construction is separable, e.g., 说话/說話 shuō-huà (lit. speak-word, speak) vs. 说中国话/說中國話 shuō Zhōngguó huà (speak Chinese)