Expressing "enough" with "gou"

In Chinese the word for "enough" is 够 (gòu). It also combines with other words, and most often comes before verbs and adjectives, but there are a limited number of verbs that it can follow as well.

Affirmative Form

Structure

够 + Verb / Adj. + 了

The 了 is not strict required, but it adds a sense of emphasis.

Examples

In these examples, 够 (gòu) comes before verbs. You'll notice that who is doing the verb to what is normally just understood in context.

• 我们 买 了 很 多 菜 ，够 吃 了 。Wǒmen mǎi le hěn duō cài, gòu chī le.We bought a lot of food. It's enough for us to eat.
• 这些 纸 够 用 吗 ？Zhèxiē zhǐ gòu yòng ma?Are these papers good enough to use?
• 放心 吧 ，我 带 的 钱 够 花 。Fàngxīn ba, wǒ dài de qián gòu huā.Don't worry. I've brought enough money to spend.

When it comes before an adjective, 了 is needed at the end of the sentence.

• 我 对 你 够 好 了 。Wǒ duì nǐ gòu hǎo le.I've been good enough to you.
• 别 抱怨 了 ，你 够 幸运 了 。Bié bàoyuàn le, nǐ gòu xìngyùn le.Stop complaining. You've been lucky enough.

Negative Form

In the negative form, you're not going to need a 了 (le).

Structure

Subj. + 不 + 够 + Adj. / Verb

Note that 了 can't be used when it's negated.

Examples

• 他 觉得 他 女朋友 不 够 漂亮 。Tā juéde tā nǚpéngyou bù gòu piàoliang.He thinks his girlfriend is not pretty enough.
• 你 说 得 不 够 清楚 。Nǐ shuō de bù gòu qīngchǔ.You didn't speak very clearly.
• 这些 菜 不 够 吃 ，再 点 几 个 菜 。Zhèxiē cài bù gòu chī, zài diǎn jǐ gè cài.These dishes are not enough to eat. Let's order some more.
• 这里 太 小 了 ，不 够 坐 。Zhèlǐ tài xiǎo le, bùgòu zuò.It's too small here. It's not big enough to sit.
• 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.Your bag is too small. This stuff definitely can't fit in it.

Colloquial Saying

Literally, 够了 means "it's enough." When the speaker is getting sick of doing something or feeling fed up, 够了 can be applied after a limited number of verbs.

A few common examples:

• 我 受 够 了 ！Wǒ shòu gòu le!I've had enough of it!
• 天天 吃 外卖 ，我们 都 吃 够 了 。Tiāntiān chī wàimài, wǒmen dōu chī gòu le.We eat take-out every day. We're sick of eating it.
• 你 玩 够 了 没有 ？Nǐ wán gòu le méiyǒu?Are you done playing?

See also

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