Superlative "zui"
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Used for
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Keywords
The most common way to form a superlative (best, worst, fattest, most complex, etc.) in Chinese is to use 最 (zuì) before an adjective.
Contents
Basic Structure
The structure is:
最 + Adjective
And now you have the superlative form of the adjective. Unlike in English, this structure is consistent for all adjectives in Chinese.
Examples
- 他 最 笨。He is the dumbest.
- 你 最 胖。You are the fattest.
- 我 最 矮。I am the shortest.
Optional 了
Occasionally you'll also see a 了 added after the adjective. This adds emphasis to the "-est."
最 + Adjective (+ 了)
Examples
- 他 最 聪明 了。(This 了 is optional)He is the smartest.
- 你 最 瘦 了。(This 了 is optional)You are the skinniest.
- 我 最 高 了。(This 了 is optional)I am the tallest.
See also
- Expressing "excessively" with tai
- Positive adjectives with "-ji le"
- Expressing "rather" with "bijiao"
Sources and further reading
Books
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 15-6) →buy
- Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 571-4) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 344) →buy
