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Grammar Points of the function word 很 (hěn -very, quite, pretty)

HSK Grammar Points > 很


* As an Adverb, 很, meaning "very, quite, pretty", can be used to emphasize the degree.
* In some contexts, 很 is only used for grammatical purpose, to link subject and predicate adjective.
(Please note: In Chinese, 【Degree Adverb + Adjective】 can be used directly as a predicate of a sentence. Such adverbs include: 很、太、真、挺、非常、特别 etc.)
* 很 also can be used before Auxiliary Verb or Verb.
* 很 can be used with 不 to express different degrees of negation.
  1. very
    【很 + Adj.】
    (used to add emphasis to an adjective or adverb) to a great degree
    • Tā shuō dehuà hěn hélǐ.
      他说的话很合理。
      What he says is very reasonable. 13297
      Tā hěn hǎo de wánchéngle gōngzuò.
      她很好地完成了工作。
      She did the job very well. 13693
  2. quite
    【很 + Adj.】
    used to emphasize the degree or amount
    • Wǒ yǐjīng gōngzuòle hěn cháng shíjiān.
      我已经工作了很长时间。
      I have been working for quite some time. 13684
      Nà shì yī xiàng hěn kùnnán de gōngzuò.
      那是一项很困难的工作。
      It was quite a difficult job. 13685
  3. pretty (Adv.)
    【很 + Adj.】
    quite, but not extremely
    • Zhèxiē tiān nǐ gōngzuò hěn nǔlì.
      这些天你工作很努力。
      You're working pretty hard these days. 13686
  4. rarely
    【(Adv.)很少 + Verb】
    As an Adverb, 很少 means "not often, rarely".
    • Wǒmen xiànzài hěnshǎo jiànmiàn.
      我们现在很少见面。
      We rarely see each other now. 13687
  5. (used before Adj.)
    【Subject + 很 + Adj.】
    In some contexts, 很 is only used for grammatical purpose, to link subject and predicate adjective.
    • Nǐ de tóufǎ hěn piàoliang.
      你的头发很漂亮。
      Your hair is beautiful. 13690
  6. (used before Verb)
    【Subject + 很 + Verb...】
    很 can be used before verbs that express moods, emotions, attitudes, evaluations, or states.
    • Wǒ hěn xǐhuān xiànzài de gōngzuò.
      我很喜欢现在的工作。
      I like my current job very much. 8954
  7. (used before Auxiliary Verb)
    【Subject + 很 + Auxiliary Verb + Verb...】
    Used before auxiliary verbs to indicate a high degree.
    • Tā hěn kěnéng shì zhèngquè de.
      他很可能是正确的。
      He is most likely correct. 13691
      Nǎinai hěn huì jiǎng gùshì.
      奶奶很会讲故事。
      Grandma is good at telling stories. 13692
  8. (used as a Complement)
    【Subject + Verb + 得 + 很】
    In Chinese, 得 is the complement marker. 很 can be used after 得 as a complement.
    • Wǒ lèi de hěn.
      我累得很。
      I'm very tired. 11882
      Wǒ xiànzài shēngqì de hěn.
      我现在生气得很。
      I am very angry now. 12253
  9. (used with Negation)
    【不+很 vs 很+不】
    很不 is to emphasize the negation, and 不很 is to weaken the negation.
    • Jīntiān tiānqì bù hěn hǎo.
      今天天气不很好。
      The weather is not very good today. 11782
      Jīntiān tiānqì hěn bù hǎo.
      今天天气很不好。
      The weather is very bad today. 13689



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