他因為謀殺案在牢裡待了十年。

He has spent ten years in jail for murder.

Source: Tatoeba

Sentence Composition

1 他 tā
  1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his
  2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 tārì and 他人 tārén)
2 因為 yīnwèi
  1. because
  2. owing to
  3. on account of
3 謀殺案 móushāàn murder case
4 在 zài
  1. to exist; to be alive
  2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at
  3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress)
5 牢 láo
  1. firm
  2. sturdy
  3. fold (for animals)
  4. sacrifice
  5. prison
6 裡 lǐ
  1. lining
  2. interior
  3. inside
  4. internal
  5. also written 里 lǐ
=7 待 dāi to stay; to remain
=7 待 dài
  1. to wait
  2. to treat
  3. to deal with
  4. to need
  5. going to (do sth)
  6. about to
  7. intending to
=8 了 le
  1. (completed action marker)
  2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now)
  3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)
=8 了 liǎo
  1. to finish
  2. (used with 得 dé or 不 bù after a verb to express (im)possibility, as in 忘不了 wàngbuliǎo "cannot forget")
  3. (literary) (usually followed by a negative such as 无 wú or 不 bù) completely (not); entirely (not); (not) in the least
  4. to understand clearly (variant of 了 liǎo)
=8 了 liǎo
  1. (of eyes) bright
  2. clear-sighted
  3. to understand clearly
=8 了 liào unofficial variant of 瞭 liào
9 十年 shínián ten years; decade