Expressing "enough" with "gou"

Good enough with 够

In Chinese the word for "enough" often comes before a verb, rather than after an adjective.

Structure

Subj. + 够 + Verb (+ 了)

Sometimes you'll see a 了 added after the verb for emphasis (as in "no, really, it's enough!").

Examples

• 我们 买 了 很 多 菜，肯定 够 吃。Wǒmen mǎi le hěnduō cài, kěndìng gòu chī.We bought a lot of food. It must be good enough to eat.
• 他 带 了 好 多 衣服 ，应该 够 换。Tā dài le hǎo duō yīfu, yīnggāi gòu huàn.He brought a lot of clothes. It should be enough to change.
• 我们 只 有 三 个 人，你 的 车 肯定 够 坐。Wǒmen zhǐ yǒu sān gè rén, nǐ de chē kěndìng gòu zuò.We only have three people. I'm sure your car is big enough to sit in.
• 这些 菜 够 吃 了，不要 再 买 了。Zhèxiē cài gòu chī le, bù yào zài mǎi le.This food is enough to eat. Don't buy more.
• 我 带 的 钱 够 用 了 ，你 不用 带 了。Wǒ dài de qián gòu yòng le, nǐ bù yòng dài le.I've brought enough money to spend. You don't need to bring any.

Not enough with 不够

Structure

Subj. + 不够 + Verb

Examples

• 你 家 太 小 了，恐怕 不够 住。Nǐ jiā tài xiǎo le, kǒngpà bùgòu zhù.Your house is too small. I'm afraid it's not big enough to live in.
• 你 的 包 太 小 了，这些 东西 肯定不够 放。Nǐ de bāo tài xiǎo le, zhème duō dōngxi kěndìng bùgòu fàng.You bag is too small. This stuff definitely can't fit in it.
• 办公室 的 纸 不够 用 了，你 明天 去 买 一些 吧。Bàngōngshì de zhǐ bùgòu yòng le, nǐ míngtiān qù mǎi yīxiē ba.The paper in the office is not enough to use. You should go buy some tomorrow.
• 我 的 钱 不够 花 了，你 能 不 能 再 给 我 五 百？Wǒ de qián bùgòu huā le, nǐ néng bu néng zài gěi wǒ wǔ bǎi?I don't have enough money to spend. Can you give me another five hundred kuai?

Expressing "had enough of it" with 够了

When a verb is followed by "够了," it means the speaker is "getting sick of [doing] something" or "done with [doing] something."

Structure

Subj. + Verb + 够 (+ 了)

Examples

• 别 说 了！ 这些 话 我 已经 听 够 了！Bié shuō le, zhèxiē huà wǒ yǐjīng tīng gòu le.Stop talking! I've heard enough of it!
• 你 今天 玩 游戏 已经 玩 了 三 个 小时 了，玩 够 了 没有？！Nǐ jīntiān wán yóuxì yǐjīng wǎn le sān gè xiǎoshí le, wán gòu le méiyǒu?!You've been playing games for three hours today. Are you not done yet?
• 我 受 够 了！我 一定 要 跟 他 离婚！Wǒ shòu gòu le! Wǒ yīdìng yào gēn tā líhūn!I had enough of him. I'm definitely going to divorce him.
• 你 天天 都 叫 外卖，还没 吃 够 吗？Nǐ tiāntiān dū jiào wàimài, hái méi chī gòu ma?You order takeout every day. Haven't you gotten sick of eating it?

See also

• The "zui" superlative
• Expressing "excessively" with "tai"