“Simply” in Chinese 1 – jiǎnzhí

Grammar Point:
The word 簡简直 jiǎnzhí is a Chinese adverb often used to express exaggeration and convey a sense of something being untrue and hypothetical. It is similar in meaning to English words such as ‘simply,’ ‘absolutely,’ ‘completely,’ ‘literally,’ or ‘downright.’

Structure

簡简直 jiǎnzhí + Adj or V

那nà房子fángzi又yòu髒zāng又yòu暗àn簡直jiǎnzhí像xiàng鬼屋guǐwū， 你nǐ還是háishì找zhǎo別的biéde房子fángzi吧ba那nà房子fángzi又yòu脏zāng又yòu暗àn简直jiǎnzhí像xiàng鬼屋guǐwū， 你nǐ还是háishì找zhǎo别的biéde房子fángzi吧ba
That house is dirty and dark; it’s absolutely like a haunted house. You should look for another one.

台北táiběi夏天xiàtiān的de體感溫度tǐgǎnwēndù是shì攝氏shèshì43 度dù， 簡直jiǎnzhí熱rè死sǐ人rén台北táiběi夏天xiàtiān的de体感温度tǐgǎnwēndù是shì摄氏shèshì43 度dù， 简直jiǎnzhí热rè死sǐ人rén
The perceived temperature in Taipei during summer is 43 degrees Celsius; it’s downright scorching.

你家nǐjiā的de家具jiājù也yě太tài高級gāojí了le吧ba， 簡直jiǎnzhí是shì飯店fàndiàn等級děngjí你家nǐjiā的de家具jiājù也yě太tài高级gāojí了le吧ba， 简直jiǎnzhí是shì酒店jiǔdiàn等级děngjí
Your furniture at home is so high-end; it’s literally hotel-quality.

她tā對duì她的tāde狗gǒu非常fēicháng好hǎo， 又yòu是shì買mǎi衣服yīfú又yòu是shì做飯zuòfàn， 簡直jiǎnzhí當dāng小孩xiǎohái在zài養yǎng她tā对duì她的tāde狗gǒu非常fēicháng好hǎo， 又yòu是shì买mǎi衣服yīfu又yòu是shì做饭zuòfàn， 简直jiǎnzhí当dāng小孩xiǎohái在zài养yǎng
She’s extremely good to her dog, buying clothes and cooking for it; she’s literally raising a child.

最近zuìjìn要yào忙máng的de事shì真的zhēnde太tài多duō了le， 我wǒ簡直jiǎnzhí快kuài死sǐ了le最近zuìjìn要yào忙máng的de事shì真的zhēnde太tài多duō了le， 我wǒ简直jiǎnzhí快kuài死sǐ了le
I have so many things to do lately; I’m literally swamped.

你nǐ可以kěyǐ不要búyào再zài碎碎念suìsuìniàn了le嗎ma， 簡直jiǎnzhí跟gēn我wǒ媽mā一樣yíyàng你nǐ可以kěyǐ不要búyào再zài碎碎念suìsuìniàn了le吗ma， 简直jiǎnzhí跟gēn我wǒ妈mā一样yíyàng
Could you please stop nagging; you’re just like my mom.

我的wǒde狗gǒu只要zhǐyào看到kàndào地上dìshàng有yǒu食物shíwù就jiù會huì全部quánbù吃掉chīdiào， 簡直jiǎnzhí就jiù像xiàng行動xíngdòng廚餘桶chúyútǒng我的wǒde狗gǒu只要zhǐyào看到kàndào地上dìshang有yǒu食物shíwù就jiù会huì全部quánbù吃掉chīdiào， 简直jiǎnzhí就jiù像xiàng行动xíngdòng厨余桶chúyútǒng 😓
My dog will eat everything on the floor if he sees food; he’s literally like a mobile garbage disposal.

FYI
In Taiwan, there is a way that can rapidly digest kitchen waste and convert it into organic fertilizer for eco-friendly farmlands. It produces organic nutrient solutions beneficial for the immune system of pigs and significantly reduces the carbon emissions associated with kitchen waste disposal. This process effectively addresses the shortcomings of traditional methods, but, of course, I am not talking about my dog…
If you’re interested, you can take a look at the video below, starting from 29:45.

Common Mistakes

When using 簡简直 jiǎnzhí with an adjective, it’s important to remember that this adverb is often used to express exaggeration. While in English, you can say something is “simply beautiful,” in Chinese, 簡简直 jiǎnzhí cannot be directly followed by an unmodified adjective, and 很 hěn is also not used after 簡简直 jiǎnzhí since it doesn’t convey exaggeration.

我wǒ簡直jiǎnzhí累lèi我wǒ简直jiǎnzhí累lèi ❌
I’m simply tired.

我wǒ簡直jiǎnzhí很hěn累lèi我wǒ简直jiǎnzhí很hěn累lèi ❌
I’m simply tired.

我wǒ簡直jiǎnzhí累lèi死sǐ了le我wǒ简直jiǎnzhí累lèi死sǐ了le ✅
I’m absolutely exhausted.

我wǒ簡直jiǎnzhí累lèi到dào閉眼bìyǎn就jiù睡shuì了le我wǒ简直jiǎnzhí累lèi到dào闭眼bìyǎn就jiù睡shuì了le ✅
I’m so tired that I’m going to sleep as soon as I close my eyes.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ Her Chinese is simply as fluent as a native Chinese person’s.

她的tāde中文zhōngwén簡直jiǎnzhí就jiù跟gēn中國人Zhōngguórén一樣yíyàng流利liúlì她的tāde中文zhōngwén简直jiǎnzhí就jiù跟gēn中国人Zhōngguórén一样yíyàng流利liúlì

✔️ Your face and physique are just like my dream partner’s.

你的nǐde臉liǎn和hé身材shēncái簡直jiǎnzhí就是jiùshì我的wǒde夢中情人mèngzhōngqíngrén你的nǐde脸liǎn和hé身材shēncái简直jiǎnzhí就是jiùshì我的wǒde夢中情人mèngzhōngqíngrén

✔️ He’s not eating anything at all to lose weight; he’s practically risking his life.

他tā為了wèile減肥jiǎnféi什麼shénme都dōu不吃bùchī， 簡直jiǎnzhí不bú要yào命mìng了le他tā为了wèile减肥jiǎnféi什么shénme都dōu不吃bùchī， 简直jiǎnzhí不bú要yào命mìng了le

• “Simply” in Chinese 2 – 乾干脆 gāncuì (HSK 5)