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, such as in English when we say "I'm terribly happy."

Structure

Adj. + 得不得了

Examples

• 升职 的 事情 让 他 高兴 得 不得了。Shēng zhí de shìqíng ràng tā gāoxìng dé bùdéle.The fact that he got promoted made him extremely happy.
• 嗨，他 跟 老总 的 关系 好 得 不得了，你 一定 要 小心！Hāi, tā gēn lǎozǒng de guānxì hǎo dé bùdéle, nǐ yīdìng yào xiǎoxīn!The relationship between him and the chief officer is really good, you need to be careful!
• 爸爸 气 得 不得了，你 要 倒霉 啦。Bàba qì dé bùdéle, nǐ yào dǎoméi la.Dad is super angry. You're going to be unlucky.
• 她的妈妈刚去世， 她难过 得 不得了。Tā de māmā gāng qùshì, tā nánguò dé bùdéle.Her mom just passed away, she is extremely sad.
• 今天冷 得 不得了，怎么会这么冷？

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) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5) (pp. 53) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 262) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 159) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

HSK5