The Adverb '很' — Mandarin Grammar

(hěnㄏㄣˇhên3) means "very" but serves a second, crucial role: it is required before a lone adjective as a filler, even when no emphasis is intended. (wǒ hěn hǎoㄨㄛˇ ㄏㄣˇ ㄏㄠˇwo3 hên3 hao3) simply means "I'm fine," not "I'm very fine." Without (hěnㄏㄣˇhên3), a bare adjective implies comparison.

Other degree adverbs like (zhēnㄓㄣchên1) — really, (tàiㄊㄞˋt'ai4) — too, or (fēi·chángㄈㄟ·ㄔㄤˊfei1·ch'ang2) — extremely, can replace it when emphasis is intended.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Mandarin course

71 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 4. A few of them, with the words “The Adverb '很'” is about in bold:

我感觉好极了!我没有生病。我很健康。
wǒ gǎn·jué hǎo jí le! wǒ méi yǒu shēng·bìng. wǒ hěn jiàn·kāng.ㄨㄛˇ ㄍㄢˇ·ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄏㄠˇ ㄐㄧˊ ˙ㄌㄜ! ㄨㄛˇ ㄇㄟˊ ㄧㄡˇ ㄕㄥ·ㄅㄧㄥˋ. ㄨㄛˇ ㄏㄣˇ ㄐㄧㄢˋ·ㄎㄤ.wo3 kan3·chüeh2 hao3 chi2 lê! wo3 mei2 yu3 shêng1·ping4. wo3 hên3 chien4·k'ang1.
I feel great! I am not sick. I am healthy.
Lesson 64
这水很冷。那水很热。
zhè shuǐ hěn lěng. nà shuǐ hěn rè.ㄓㄜˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄏㄣˇ ㄌㄥˇ. ㄋㄚˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄏㄣˇ ㄖㄜˋ.chê4 shui3 hên3 lêng3. na4 shui3 hên3 jê4.
This water is cold. That water is hot.
Lesson 68
你很有趣。我觉得你很有趣。
nǐ hěn yǒu·qù. wǒ jué·de nǐ hěn yǒu·qù.ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄣˇ ㄧㄡˇ·ㄑㄩˋ. ㄨㄛˇ ㄐㄩㄝˊ·˙ㄉㄜㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄣˇ ㄧㄡˇ·ㄑㄩˋ.ni3 hên3 yu3·ch'ü4. wo3 chüeh2·tê ni3 hên3 yu3·ch'ü4.
You are funny. I think you are funny.
Lesson 169

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Sentences from Lingora’s Mandarin course

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