Adjectival complement "de budeliao"

得不得了 (de bùdéliǎo) can be used as a complement to suggest a situation is serious, or is likely to result in perhaps terrible consequences. It can be used in a positive sense, like in English when we say "I'm terribly happy".

Structure

Adjective + 得不得了

Examples

• 升职 的 事情 让 他 高兴 得 不得了。The things that came up made him extremely happy.
• 嗨，他 跟 老总 的 关系 好 得 不得了，你 一定 要 小心！His relationship with the chief officer is really good, you need to be careful!
• 爸爸 气 得 不得了，你 要 倒霉 啦。Dad is super angry. You're going to be unlucky.
• 她的妈妈刚去世， 她难过 得 不得了。Her mom just passed away, she is extremely sad.

See also

• Adjectival complement "de hen"
• Descriptive complements
• Negative adjectives with "-si le"
• Positive adjectives with "-ji le"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 2 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇) (pp. 134-5)→buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5) (pp. 53)→buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 262) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (p. 159) →buy

HSK5