Adjectives with "-ji le"

Just as 死了 (sǐle) can be used to intensify negative adjectives, 极了 (jíle) can be used to intensify positive adjectives. This is used in spoken, colloquial Chinese. 极 means "extreme" or "utmost," so using this grammar pattern takes your positive adjectives to the extreme!

Structure

It's as simple as using 极了 after the positive adjective.

Subj. + Positive Adj. + 极了

This structure is technically a kind of degree complement, and one of the few that you can use after the adjective and without adding a 得.

Examples

  • 这个 主意 极了hǎo jíle.This idea is perfect.
  • 味道 极了 ! Wèidào hǎo jíle.The taste is perfect!
  • 他 的 英文 极了Tā de Yīngwén bàng jíle.His English is perfect.
  • 宝宝 们 可爱 极了Bǎobǎo men kě'ài jíle.These babies are very cute.
  • 婚礼 热闹 极了Hūnlǐ rènao jíle.The wedding was very lively.
  • 他 那么 生气 ,我们 都 害怕 极了Tā nàme shēngqì, wǒmen dōu hàipà jíle.He was so angry. We were all very scared.
  • 高考 那 天 ,我 紧张 极了Gāokǎo nà tiān, wǒ jǐnzhāng jíle.I was very nervous the day I took the college entrance examination.
  • 图书馆 一点 声音 都 没有 ,安静 极了Túshūguǎn yīdiǎn shēngyīn dōu méiyǒu, ānjìng jíle.There is no sound at all in the library. It's very quiet.

Remember to add the 了, since this is sort of an exclamatory statement similar to 太好了. It would be incorrect without it.

  • 今天 我 的 精神 好 Jīntiān wǒ de jīngshén hǎo .
  • 今天 我 的 精神 好 极了Jīntiān wǒ de jīngshén hǎo jíle.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books