Difference between revisions of "Expressing "excessively" with "tai""

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* 他 <em>太</em> 重 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">He is too heavy. / He is very heavy.</span>
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* 他 <em>太</em> 重 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>tài</em> zhòng <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">He is too heavy. / He is very heavy.</span>
* 我 <em>太</em> 胖 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">I am too fat. / I am very fat.</span>
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* 我 <em>太</em> 胖 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>tài</em> pàng <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">I am too fat. / I am very fat.</span>
* 米饭 <em>太</em> 少 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">There is too little rice. / There is very little rice.</span>
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* 米饭 <em>太</em> 少 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Mǐfàn <em>tài</em> shǎo <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">There is too little rice. / There is very little rice.</span>
* 大象 <em>太</em> 大 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">The elephant is very big.</span>
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* 大象 <em>太</em> 大 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Dàxiàng <em>tài</em> dà <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">The elephant is very big.</span>
* 你 <em>太</em> 好 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">You are "too good" [so great].</span>
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* 你 <em>太</em> 好 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>tài</em> hǎo <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">You are "too good" [so great].</span>
* 他 <em>太</em> 高 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">He is too tall!</span>
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* 他 <em>太</em> 高 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>tài</em> gāo <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">He is too tall!</span>
* 小猫 <em>太</em> 可爱 <em>了</em>!<span class="trans">The kitten is too cute! / The kitten is very cute!</span>
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* 小猫 <em>太</em> 可爱 <em>了</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Xiǎomāo <em>tài</em> kě'ài <em>le</em>!</span> <span class="trans">The kitten is too cute! / The kitten is very cute!</span>
* 老师 <em>太</em> 累 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">The teacher is very tired.</span>
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* 老师 <em>太</em> 累 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎoshī <em>tài</em> lèi <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">The teacher is too tired.</span>
* 这 个 女人 <em>太</em> 老 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">This woman is too old.</span>
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* 这 个 女人 <em>太</em> 老 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè gè nǚrén <em>tài</em> lǎo <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">This woman is too old.</span>
* 你 的 孩子 <em>太</em> 聪明 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">Your kids are too smart. / Your kids are very smart.</span>
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* 你 的 孩子 <em>太</em> 聪明 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ de háizi <em>tài</em> cōngming <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Your kids are too smart. / Your kids are very smart.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 06:44, 15 October 2014

The simplest structure for expressing too in the sense of excessively in Chinese uses the word 太 (tài). But don't forget 了 (le) at the end of the sentence.

Structure

太 + Adjective + 了

As in English, this can express that something really is excessive, or can colloquially express the meaning of so or very. Note that in Chinese, you can say "太好了 (tài hǎo le)" which just means "very good" (whereas in English the phrase "too good" sometimes makes it sound like there's reason for suspicion).

Examples

  • tài zhòng le. He is too heavy. / He is very heavy.
  • tài pàng le. I am too fat. / I am very fat.
  • 米饭 Mǐfàn tài shǎo le. There is too little rice. / There is very little rice.
  • 大象 Dàxiàng tàile. The elephant is very big.
  • tài hǎo le. You are "too good" [so great].
  • tài gāo le. He is too tall!
  • 小猫 可爱 Xiǎomāo tài kě'ài le! The kitten is too cute! / The kitten is very cute!
  • 老师 Lǎoshī tài lèi le. The teacher is too tired.
  • 这 个 女人 Zhè gè nǚrén tài lǎo le. This woman is too old.
  • 你 的 孩子 聪明 Nǐ de háizi tài cōngming le. Your kids are too smart. / Your kids are very smart.

Note for the more advanced learner: This pattern can be used with modal verbs (e.g. 会 (huì), 能 (néng)) as well as psychological verbs (e.g. 喜欢 (xǐhuān), 想 (xiǎng), 爱 (ài)) to intensify the degree.

See also

Sources and Further Reading