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Is 很 the Most Common Degree Word in Chinese?

Nov.05, 2019

Is "很hěn" the most common degree word in Chinese?


I guess you only use "很" and "非常" as "very" in your Chinese expression. But do you think the native speakers will only be using two words for "very"?

Of course not!

They have more "fancy" options to replace "很hěn". I guess that also has been bothering you for a long time. What earth are the words that quickly glide through native speakers' mouth?

In this post, I will introduce you the degree words commonly used by native speakers but you will hardly find in the textbook. You can try to apply these words to give your speaking that local flavour!


I'll introduce one by one here:


1) 好hǎo+adj. / mental verb. (喜欢xǐhuān etc.)


This structure is often used for exclamations such as "how……!", "so……!".


  • 他的中文好厉害啊! 

Tā de zhōngwén hǎo lìhai a!

How amazing is his Chinese!


  • 我好喜欢你的这件衬衫!

Wǒ hǎo xǐhuān nǐ de zhè jiàn chènshān!

I really like your shirt!


  • 好累啊!

Hǎo lèi a!

So tired!


2) 超chāo+adj. / mental verb.


超chāo means "super". It’s also a degree word that young Chinese people now use a lot.


  • 我去过那里,超好玩!

Wǒ qù guo nàlǐ, chāo hǎowán!

I've been there. It's super fun!


  • 最近超流行这个!

Zuìjìn chāo liúxíng zhè ge!

This gets super popular recently!


3) 蛮mán+adj./ mental verb的


The "蛮mán……的" is the same as "挺tǐng……的", meaning "quite +adj.", but it’s used more in Shanghai or other southern parts of China.


  • 这个煎饼蛮好吃的。

Zhège jiānbing mán hǎochī de.

This pancake is quite tasty.


  • 我蛮喜欢那个电影的。

Wǒ mán xǐhuān nà ge diànyǐng de.

I quite like that movie.


You got it? Start to use these degree words to enrich your expressions from today!


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Is 很 the Most Common Degree Word in Chinese?