Degree words before adjectives
In Chinese, words like 很 ♬, 非常 ♬, 特別 ♬, and 超 ♬ often come before adjectives to show degree.
| Word | Basic meaning | Feeling |
|---|---|---|
| 很 ♬ | very; often neutral before adjectives | basic and common |
| 非常 ♬ | very; extremely | stronger and more formal |
| 特別 ♬ | especially; particularly | stands out from others |
| 超 ♬ | super; extremely | casual and spoken |
These words are not exactly the same. The difference is often about strength, tone, and situation.
1. 很: common and often neutral
很 ♬ is very common before adjectives. In simple adjective sentences, it often just makes the sentence sound natural. It does not always mean a strong “very.”
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 很 + Adjective | Subject is adjective |
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 這個資料夾很厚。 ♬ | This folder is thick. |
| 那張椅子很穩。 ♬ | That chair is stable. |
If the speaker stresses 很, it can mean “very.” Without strong stress, it often sounds like a normal description.
2. 非常: stronger and more formal
非常 ♬ is stronger than a neutral 很. It sounds clear, polite, and a little more formal.
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 非常 + Adjective | Subject is very / extremely adjective |
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 這份說明非常完整。 ♬ | This explanation is very complete. |
| 工作人員非常專業。 ♬ | The staff are very professional. |
非常 is useful in polite speech, reviews, presentations, or written Chinese.
3. 特別: especially / particularly
特別 ♬ means “especially” or “particularly.” It often shows that something stands out compared with others.
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 特別 + Adjective | Subject is especially adjective |
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 這段樓梯特別窄。 ♬ | This section of stairs is especially narrow. |
| 這個版本特別穩定。 ♬ | This version is especially stable. |
Use 特別 when you want to say that one thing is noticeably different in degree.
4. 超: casual and strong
超 ♬ is common in casual speech. It means “super” or “extremely,” and it feels more informal than 非常.
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 超 + Adjective | Subject is super adjective |
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 這個介面超直覺。 ♬ | This interface is super intuitive. |
| 那家小店超熱門。 ♬ | That small shop is super popular. |
超 is natural with friends, online comments, and casual conversation. Avoid it in very formal writing.
5. Comparing the feeling
The same adjective can sound different with different degree words.
| Chinese | English | Feeling |
|---|---|---|
| 這個系統很穩定。 ♬ | This system is stable. | basic description |
| 這個系統非常穩定。 ♬ | This system is very stable. | stronger and more formal |
| 這個系統特別穩定。 ♬ | This system is especially stable. | stands out compared with others |
| 這個系統超穩定。 ♬ | This system is super stable. | casual and strong |
Choose the degree word based on how strong and how formal you want the sentence to sound.
6. Do not use 是 before simple adjectives
These degree words go directly before adjectives. Do not use 是 before a simple adjective sentence.
| Not natural | Natural Chinese |
|---|---|
| 這個系統是非常穩定。 | 這個系統非常穩定。 ♬ |
| 這個介面是超直覺。 | 這個介面超直覺。 ♬ |
The not-natural examples are only for comparison, so they do not need audio.
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