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Intermediate

Aspect: 在 / 着

Ongoing actions vs continuing states

在 + verb = ongoing action

在 (or 正在) marks an action in progress.

💬 Examples
我在吃饭。
Wǒ zài chī fàn.
I am eating.
📝 在 + verb = progressive
他正在睡觉。
Tā zhèngzài shuìjiào.
He is sleeping.
📝 正在 stresses 'right now'
Verb + 着 = continuing state

着 marks a state that persists.

💬 Examples
门开着。
Mén kāizhe.
The door is open.
📝 着 = a held state
他坐着。
Tā zuòzhe.
He is sitting.
📝 Posture/state maintained
在 (action) vs 着 (state)

在 stresses the activity; 着 stresses the resulting state.

💬 Examples
他在穿衣服。
Tā zài chuān yīfu.
He is putting on clothes.
📝 在 = the act of dressing
他穿着红衣服。
Tā chuānzhe hóng yīfu.
He is wearing red clothes.
📝 着 = the state of wearing