<p>「認真」is a common two characters compound word. It means 'serious' (adj.) 
Since it is an adjective, we can add the negative function word 「不」(not ) before it, and form an negative phrase  「不認真」(not serious)</p>

<p>However, 「認」on it's own can be the verb 'identify' or ' 'recognize' as in 「認人」(identify a person)，「認路」(recognize the way);  while 「真」on it's own can be the adjective 'true' or 'accurate' ; or the adverb 'truly' or 'accurately'</p>

<p>As a simple grammatical rule, an adverb can modify a verb.
Which mean 「認真」 can be treated as a [verb+ adverb] structure instead of a compound that we are familiar with. </p>

<p>In the case of 「認不真」，「不」being a negative function word that modifies the adverb 「真」make it clear that the term we are looking at, is in fact [verb+ 不 + adverb] structure (認+不+真).</p>

<p>If 「不」 is placed before 「認真」, that would make it an [不 + adjective] structure (不+認真).</p>

<ul>
<li>「不認真」means 'not serious'</li>
<li>「認不真」means 'cannot identify accurately' or 'not identify accurately'</li>
</ul>

<p>As I mentioned before, 「認真」is a very common 'word' , to avoid confusion, it is better use 「認不清」 instead of 「認不真」. </p>

<p>I believe if the phrase in question was 「認不真確」instead of the shortened 「認不真」, you would not be so confused. </p>

<p>Since the common word 「認真」is widely used, putting 認 and 真 in a [verb + adverb] structure would certainly cause confusion. It is not recommended. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>須<strong>認真</strong>.若<strong>認不真</strong>. 便都成了假的.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In this context <strong>須認真</strong> means " <strong>Need to identify accurately</strong>. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>" Need to <strong>identify accurately</strong>. If <strong>not identify accurately</strong>, then everything will become (be treated as) fake"</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I would suggest phrasing it as 「須認(得)真(確), 若認不真(確),  便都成了假的」 to make it more clear.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-14T09:34:08.237Z
Thank you for the suggestion, but this is text written and published by someone else; I'm trying to understand the structure, rewriting it is not an option.
user3131341
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-13T08:47:14.783Z
2017-01-13T08:47:14.783Z
Tang Ho
<p>可能缺了一个了字，认不（了）真。意思是：我现在好烦，我认真不起来。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-13T08:59:50.007Z
2017-01-13T08:59:50.007Z
Dravin.Hot
<p>The context is the reader has just been told that in [blank] he 須認真.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[blank]須認真. 若<strong>認不真</strong>. 便都成了假的.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>What puzzles me is the 不 in the middle of 認真.  I understand that each character by itself is a word, but it seems generally to be one two character word, "earnest".  Is the 不 negating one of two words, or half of one word, or all of a two character word?  I've never seen that.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-13T06:52:18.217Z
see grammar on potential complements/可能补语： 认真 to take seriously，to take to heart: verb  认 + complement of result 真, 認不真 : verb  认 + potential complement 不真 meaning action not possible, thus 須認真.若認不真, e.g. it is necessary to take it seriously, if it cannot be taken seriously (then 便都成了假的)
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-13T09:20:25.573Z
web search seems to indicate that the sequence 認不真 indeed is uncommon, comment #1 may be justified by grammar of potential complement
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-13T13:23:27.510Z
regarding answer #1 note bkrs: 认真：2) 当真。
红楼梦．第五十九回：「打了干的打亲的。还是卖弄你女儿多，还是认真不知王法？」认假不认真 accept falsehood/ take falsehood seriously, but not truth, bkrs has the potential complement construction 听不真, but just like 认不真 users cannot find any other examples on the web of 听不真,
user6065
<literary-chinese>
How to Interpret 認不真 in 須認真. 若認不真. 便都成了假的?
# How to Interpret 認不真 in 須認真. 若認不真. 便都成了假的?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-01-13)

The context is the reader has just been told that in [blank] he 須認真.

> [blank]須認真. 若**認不真**. 便都成了假的.

What puzzles me is the 不 in the middle of 認真. I understand that each character by itself is a word, but it seems generally to be one two character word, "earnest". Is the 不 negating one of two words, or half of one word, or all of a two character word? I've never seen that.

**Tags:** literary-chinese
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: see grammar on potential complements/可能补语： 认真 to take seriously，to take to heart: verb  认 + complement of result 真, 認不真 : verb  认 + potential complement 不真 meaning action not possible, thus 須認真.若認不真, e.g. it is necessary to take it seriously, if it cannot be taken seriously (then 便都成了假的)  
> **username_1**: web search seems to indicate that the sequence 認不真 indeed is uncommon, comment #1 may be justified by grammar of potential complement  
> **username_1**: regarding answer #1 note bkrs: 认真：2) 当真。 红楼梦．第五十九回：「打了干的打亲的。还是卖弄你女儿多，还是认真不知王法？」认假不认真 accept falsehood/ take falsehood seriously, but not truth, bkrs has the potential complement construction 听不真, but just like 认不真 users cannot find any other examples on the web of 听不真,  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-01-13. Score: 2

「認真」is a common two characters compound word. It means 'serious' (adj.)
Since it is an adjective, we can add the negative function word 「不」(not ) before it, and form an negative phrase 「不認真」(not serious)

However, 「認」on it's own can be the verb 'identify' or ' 'recognize' as in 「認人」(identify a person)，「認路」(recognize the way); while 「真」on it's own can be the adjective 'true' or 'accurate' ; or the adverb 'truly' or 'accurately'

As a simple grammatical rule, an adverb can modify a verb.
Which mean 「認真」 can be treated as a [verb+ adverb] structure instead of a compound that we are familiar with.

In the case of 「認不真」，「不」being a negative function word that modifies the adverb 「真」make it clear that the term we are looking at, is in fact [verb+ 不 + adverb] structure (認+不+真).

If 「不」 is placed before 「認真」, that would make it an [不 + adjective] structure (不+認真).

* 「不認真」means 'not serious'
* 「認不真」means 'cannot identify accurately' or 'not identify accurately'

As I mentioned before, 「認真」is a very common 'word' , to avoid confusion, it is better use 「認不清」 instead of 「認不真」.

I believe if the phrase in question was 「認不真確」instead of the shortened 「認不真」, you would not be so confused.

Since the common word 「認真」is widely used, putting 認 and 真 in a [verb + adverb] structure would certainly cause confusion. It is not recommended.

> 須**認真**.若**認不真**. 便都成了假的.

In this context **須認真** means " **Need to identify accurately**.

> " Need to **identify accurately**. If **not identify accurately**, then everything will become (be treated as) fake"

I would suggest phrasing it as 「須認(得)真(確), 若認不真(確), 便都成了假的」 to make it more clear.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you for the suggestion, but this is text written and published by someone else; I'm trying to understand the structure, rewriting it is not an option.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2017-01-13. Score: -1

可能缺了一个了字，认不（了）真。意思是：我现在好烦，我认真不起来。


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