Chinese Grammar│Chinese Adverbs of Degree





Introduction:Chinese Adverbs of Degree
In English ,there are some adverbs which can modify degree of verb or adjective.
e.g. very, quite

In Chinese, there are many adverbs of degree exist ,too.

e.g. 很 hěn、非常 fēi cháng

They can be used with both verb and adjective.


Pay attention that verb can exist singly in sentence, but adjective must be used with adverb, see more in Basic Chinese Grammar Rules and Logic


Chinese Grammar│Chinese Adverbs of Degree

very;很;hěn
Pay attention that「很 hěn」doesn't means "very" all the time. 
As per mention in the article ,Basic Chinese Grammar Rules and Logic, it must need a adverb to describe something with adjective.
Therefore, it sometimes just a filler word in sentences as below examples. 
It depends on context.

e.g. I'm happy.
       我很高興[]
       wǒ hěn gāoxìng

e.g. I like it.
       我很喜歡[]
       wǒ hěn gxǐhuān

very;非常;fēi cháng
非 fēi」means "non";常 chángmeans "normal".
非常 fēi cháng」is more closed with the meaning "very" in English. It's stronger than 很hěn」.

e.g. I'm very happy.
       我非常高興
       wǒ fēicháng gāoxìng

e.g. I really like.

       非常喜歡
       wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān

very;好;hǎo

e.g. I'm very happy.
       我好高興
       wǒ hǎo gāoxìng

e.g. I really like.

       我好喜歡
       wǒ hǎo xǐhuān

quite;相當[];xiāng dāng
「相當 xiāng dāng」have 2 kinds of meaning.
It's second meaning here.
1. A and B are similar for ability or something elso.
2. The ability reaches a certain level, indicating a high degree.
e.g. I'm quite happy.
       我相當高興
       wǒ xiāngdāng gāoxìng

e.g. I quite like.

       相當喜歡
       wǒ xiāngdāng xǐhuān

quite;挺;tǐng
It's similar but weaker slightly than 「相當 xiāng dāng」.
e.g. I'm quite happy.
       我挺高興
       wǒ tǐng gāoxìng

e.g. I quite like.

       我挺喜歡
       wǒ tǐng xǐhuān

slightly;略;lüè
Due to monosyllable, people in Taiwan seldom use this way.
People would use when emphasize "just slightly"
e.g. I'm slightly happy.
       我略高興
       wǒ lüè gāoxìng

e.g. I slightly like.

       我略喜歡
       wǒ lüè xǐhuān

slightly;略微;lüè wēi
e.g. I'm slightly angry.
       我略微生氣
       wǒ lüèwēi shēngqì

e.g. I slightly like.

       我略微喜歡
       wǒ lüèwēi xǐhuān

particularly;格外;géwài

「格 gé」means "grid"外 wàimeans "out of"
「格外 géwài」indicates "out of normal situation",therefore, it's "particularly".
e.g. I'm particularly angry.
       我格外生氣[]
       wǒ géwài shēngqì

e.g. I particularly like.

       我格外喜歡
       wǒ géwài xǐhuān

too;太...了;tài...le
Normally, 「太 tài」is used with 「了  le」
e.g. I'm too happy.
       我太高興
       wǒ tài gāoxìng le

e.g. I slightly like.

       我太喜歡
       wǒ tài xǐhuān le

extremely;極[极]其;jí qí
極  」means "extremely"
其  」just a filler word.
e.g. I'm extremely happy.
       極其高興
       wǒ jíqí gāoxìng 

e.g. I extremely like.

       極其喜歡
       wǒ jíqí xǐhuān 

extremely;極度;jí dù
度 dù」indicates "degree".
e.g. I'm extremely happy.
       度高興
       wǒ jídù gāoxìng 

e.g. I extremely like.

       極度喜歡
       wǒ jídù xǐhuān 


extremely;極了;jí le
極了 jí le」has  the special usage to be kept behind action or adjective.
e.g. I'm extremely happy.
       高興極了
       wǒ gāoxìng jíle

e.g. I extremely like.

       喜歡極了
       wǒ xǐhuān jíle

super;超級;chāo jí
e.g. I'm extremely happy.
       超級高興
       chāojí gāoxìng 

e.g. I extremely like.

       超級喜歡
       wǒ chāojí xǐhuān 

a little;稍微;shāo wéi
It indicates that the quantity is less or level is not serious.
Literally, 「稍 shāo 」indicates"a bit"
「微 wéi」means "small"

e.g. I am just slightly happy
       我稍微高興了一下
       Wǒ shāowéi gāoxìng le yīxià

「了 le 」indicates the verb has been finished or ongoing. 
     See more in Chinese Grammar │了 le
「Verb + 一下 yī xià」means "a while", it's used modify for the behavior/status/action which is activated in a short time.


Related Posts

0 Comments: