Chinese Adjectives and 很 hěn

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, adjectives are often used differently than in English, and one of the notable features is the use of the word 很 hěn when describing nouns with adjectives. Let me explain how this works:

What is Chinese Adjectives?

Chinese adjectives (also known as stative verbs, or state verbs) are used to describe the mood, weather, appearance, or characteristics of a person or an object. For example:

　累 lèi tired
　熱热 rè hot
　漂亮 piàoliɑnɡ pretty
　高 ɡāo high
　開心开心 kāixīn happy

The Difference Between Chinese and English

In English, descriptions are formed using the structure “be verb + adjective,” as in “She is pretty.” In Chinese, since stative verbs are a type of verb, there is no need to add the “be verb” before the adjective. Therefore, “She is pretty” is simply translated as “她漂亮” tā piàoliɑnɡ. However, it is important to note that stative verbs in Chinese typically require an adverb, except when making a comparison. Therefore, “她漂亮” tā piàoliɑnɡ is not the most common way to express this idea.

It should be:

她tā她tā很hěn很hěn漂亮piàoliàng漂亮piàoliang 
She is pretty.

她tā她tā不bú不bú漂亮piàoliàng漂亮piàoliang
She is not pretty.

她tā她tā非常fēicháng非常fēicháng漂亮piàoliàng漂亮piàoliang 
She is very pretty.

她tā漂亮piàoliàng， 我wǒ不bú漂亮piàoliàng她tā漂亮piàoliang， 我wǒ不bú漂亮piàoliang
She is pretty, I am not pretty.（a comparison）

Note: If an adverb of degree is not used with an adjectival predicate, a contrast is implied even though it is not explicitly stated.

她tā漂亮piàoliàng她tā漂亮piàoliang
She is pretty (but I am not.)

這個zhège蛋糕dàngāo好吃hǎochī这个zhèige蛋糕dàngāo好吃hǎochī
This cake tastes good. (but that cake is terrible)

But I want to say she “is” pretty, not “very” pretty

很 hěn is translated as “very” in many dictionaries, but it does not carry as strong a meaning as “very.” The word for “very” in Chinese is actually 非常 fēichánɡ. Therefore, if you do not want to emphasize the degree of how pretty someone is, using 很 hěn on its own would be good.

我wǒ很hěn難過nánguò我wǒ很hěn难过nánguò
I am sad.

他tā很hěn高gāo他tā很hěn高gāo
He is tall.

Other adverbs I can use

Note: Usually, 有一點有一点 yǒu yìdiǎn is used with a negative adjective to express a small degree of negativity. It is not common to say “a little bit good” in Chinese.

天氣tiānqì太tài熱rè了le天气tiānqì太tài热rè了le
The weather is too hot!

台灣táiwān的de茶chá非常fēicháng好喝hǎohē台湾táiwān的de茶chá非常fēicháng好喝hǎohē
Taiwan tea taste very good.

我wǒ今天jīntiān有一點yǒuyìdiǎn累lèi我wǒ今天jīntiān有一点yǒuyìdiǎn累lèi
I am a little tired today.

中文zhōngwén不bù難nán中文zhōngwén不bù难nán
Chinese is not hard.

• Adverbs for Adjective 1
  (很 hěn, 非常 fēicháng, 太 tài, 真 zhēn, and 最 zuì)