Expressing "not very" with "bu tai"

You may be familiar with using 太 (tài) to express "too." For example, when something is "too expensive" or "too hot." 不太 (bù tài) is a similar pattern for the negative, which just means "not very" or "not so" (literally "not too"). Note that this pattern does not normally use 了 (le).

“不太” with adjectives

Structure

Subj. + 不太 + Adj.

Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives. See below for more info.

Examples

• 老板 今天 不 太 高兴 。 Lǎobǎn jīntiān bù tài gāoxìng. The boss is not very happy today.
• 那 个 地方 不 太 远 。 Nà ge dìfang bù tài yuǎn. That place is not very far away.
• 我老婆 不 太 漂亮 。 bù tài piàoliang. She is not too pretty.
• 这 个 人 不 太 友好 。 Lǎoshī bù tài yǒuhǎo. The teacher is not too friendly.
• 早上 坐 地铁不 太 舒服 。 Běijīng bù tài shūfu. Beijing is not too comfortable.
• 这 个 店 的 衣服 不 太 贵 。 Zhè ge diàn de yīfu bù tài guì. The clothes in this shop are not too expensive.
• 我 觉得 他 不 太 聪明 。 Wǒ juéde tā bù tài cōngming. I think he is not too clever.
• 这 个 房间 不 太 大 。 Zhè ge fángjiān bù tài dà. This apartment is not too big.

• 这 个 手机 不 太 好用。 Zhè ge píngguǒ bù tài hǎochī. This cellphone is hard to use.
• 现在 不 太 热 。 Xiànzài bù tài rè. Today it is not too hot.

“不太” with verbs

Structure

This pattern can be used with some psychological verbs (e.g. 喜欢 (xǐhuan), 想 (xiǎng), 明白 (míngbai)), as in the next two examples. These verbs are relatively limited.

Subj. + 不太 + Verb

Examples

• 我 不 太 懂 。 Wǒ bù tài dǒng. I don't really understand.
• 她 不 太 希望 我们 走 。 Tā bù tài xīwàng wǒmen zǒu. She doesn't really want us to go.
• 我 不 太 相信 他 知道 。 Wǒ bù tài xiāngxìn tā zhīdao. I'm not really convinced he knows.
• 我 不 太 喜欢 我 的 工作 。 Wǒ bù tài xǐhuan wǒ de gōngzuò. I don't really like my job.
• 他 不 太 想 去 。 Tā bù tài xiǎng qù. He doesn't really want to go.
• 我 不 太 想 我 的 家人 。 Wǒ bù tài xiǎng wǒ de jiārén. I don't really miss my family.
• 她 不 太 认识 我 。 Tā bù tài rènshi wǒ. She doesn't really know me.
• 女人 不 太 关心 政治 。 Nǚrén bù tài guānxīn zhèngzhì. Women are not too concerned about politics.
• 我 觉得 你 不 太 了解 我们 公司 。 Wǒ juéde nǐ bù tài liǎojiě wǒmen gōngsī. I think that you don't really understand our company.
• 我 不 太 明白 你 的 意思 。 Wǒ bù tài míngbai nǐ de yìsi. I don't really understand what you mean.

See also

• Expressing "excessively" with tai

Sources and further reading

Books

• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 200) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (pp. 180-181)　→buy
• A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 109) →buy