Complement "-huai le"

The degree complement -坏了 (-huài le) is a bit like the complement -死了, and can be used to mean "extremely" in both a a positive and a negative sense.

Structure

Adj. + 坏了

Examples

Negative connotation：通常这类形容词都包含不喜欢、不满意的意思。

• 大家 都 累 坏了。Dàjiā dōu lèi huài le.Everyone was exhausted.
• 我 早饭 和 中饭 都 没 吃 ，饿 坏了 。Wǒ zǎofàn hé zhōngfàn dōu méi chī,è huài le.I didn't eat anything for breakfast or lunch. I'm starved to death.
• 发现 爸爸 又 去 赌钱 了 ，妈妈 气 坏了 。Fāxiàn bàba yòu qù dǔqián le, māmā qì huài le.Discovering the father went gambling again, the mother was incensed.
• 孩子 不见 了 ，妈妈 急 坏了 。Háizi bùjiàn le, māmā jí huài le.The child is missing. The mother is worried to death.
• 一个 男人 突然 拿出 一把枪 ，乘客们 都 吓 坏了 。Yīgè nánrén túrán ná chū yī bǎ qiāng, chéngkèmen dōu xià huài le.A man took out a gun all of a sudden and the passengers were scared to death.

Positive connotation：少数表示积极、愉快的形容词也可以。

• 听到 这个 好 消息 ，大家 都 高兴 坏了。Tīng dào zhège hǎo xiāoxī, dàjiā dōu gāoxìng huài le.Everyone were thrilled to hear the good news.
• 这个 笑话 让 我们 都 乐 坏了 。Zhège xiàohuà ràng wǒmen dōu lè huài le.We really got a kick out of this joke.

See also

• Adjectives with "-ji le"
• Negative adjectives with "-si le"
• Advanced degree complements

Sources and further reading

Books

• New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 104) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

HSK5

{{Similar|Advanced degree complements}