Expressing "enough" with "gou"

Positive meaning with 够

“了”是语气词。一般来说，如果只是陈述一个事实，不用加“了”；如果是在一种语境下，表示“真的够了, 不用担心"，加“了”起强调作用。

Structure

Subj. + 够 + Verb

Subj. + 够 + Verb + 了

Examples

• 我们 买 了 很 多 菜，肯定 够 吃。Wǒmen mǎi le hěnduō cài, kěndìng gòu chī. We bought a lot of food. It must be good enough to eat.
• 他 带 了 好 多 衣服 ，应该 够 换。Tā dài le hǎo duō yīfu, yīnggāi gòu huàn. He brought a lot of clothes. It should be enough to change.
• 我们 只 有 三 个 人，你 的 车 肯定 够 坐。Wǒmen zhǐ yǒu sān gè rén, nǐ de chē kěndìng gòu zuò. We only have three people. I'm sure your car is big enough to sit in.
• 这些 菜 够 吃 了，不要 再 买 了。Wǒmen zhǐ yǒu sān gè rén, nǐ de chē kěndìng gòu zuò. We only have three people. I'm sure your car is big enough to sit in.
• 够 坐。Wǒmen zhǐ yǒu sān gè rén, nǐ de chē kěndìng gòu zuò. We only have three people. I'm sure your car is big enough to sit in.

Negative meaning with 不够

Structure

Subj. + 不够 + Verb

Subj. + 不够 + Verb + 了

Examples

• 你 家 太 小 了，恐怕 不够 住。Nǐ jiā tài xiǎo le, kǒngpà bùgòu zhù. Your house is too small. I'm afraid it's not big enough to live in.
• 你 的 包 太 小 了，这些 东西 肯定不够 放。Nǐ de bāo tài xiǎo le, zhème duō dōngxi kěndìng bùgòu fàng. You bag is too small. These stuff definitely can't fit in it.
• 办公室 的 纸 不够 用 了，你 明天 去 买 一些 吧。Bàngōngshì de zhǐ bùgòu yòng le, nǐ míngtiān qù mǎi yīxiē ba. The paper in the office is not enough to use. You should go to buy some tomorrow.
• 我 的 钱 不够 花 了，你 能 不 能 再 给 我 五 百？Wǒ de qián bùgòu huā le, nǐ néng bu néng zài gěi wǒ wǔ bǎi? I don't have enough money to spend. Can you give me another five hundred kuai?