Difference between revisions of "Simple "noun + adjective" sentences"

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In English, nouns can be linked to adjectives and other nouns with the verb ''to be''. In Chinese, nouns are linked in different ways to adjectives and other nouns. Nouns are linked to [[Connecting nouns with "shi"|nouns with 是]]. Nouns are linked to adjectives with 很. The structure is:
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{{Grammar Box}}
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In English, nouns can be "linked" to adjectives and other nouns with the verb "to be." In Chinese, [[noun]]s are linked to other nouns in one way, but linked to [[adjective]]s in a completely different way. Nouns are linked to other [[Connecting nouns with "shi"|nouns with 是 (shì)]]. Nouns are linked to adjectives with 很 (hěn).
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== Structure ==
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
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Noun + 很 + Adjective
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Noun + 很 + Adj.
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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The noun in this structure is the subject of the sentence. Sometimes the 很 in this structure is translated as "very", but often it is just a way to link a noun to an adjective. In the following examples, 很 is just a link, and the sentences could be translated as "(Noun) is (adjective)".
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The noun in this structure is the subject of the sentence. Sometimes the 很 (hěn) in this structure is translated as "very," but often it is just a way to link a noun to an adjective.
 +
 
 +
== Examples ==
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In the following examples, 很 (hěn) is just a link (you could think of it as a substitute for the verb "to be"), and the sentences could be translated as "(Noun) is (adjective)."
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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{| class="wikitable" style="width:23em"
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* 我 <em>很</em> 好。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>hěn</em> hǎo.</span><span class="trans">I'm good.</span>
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|+Simple 很 sentences
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* 你 <em>很</em> 漂亮。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>hěn</em> piàoliang.</span><span class="trans">You are pretty.</span>
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|-
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* 他 <em>很</em> 高兴。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>hěn</em> gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">He is happy.</span>
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! Subject !! <em>很</em> !! Adjective !!
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* 中文 <em>很</em> 难。 <span class="pinyin">Zhōngwén <em>hěn</em> nán.</span><span class="trans">Chinese is difficult.</span>
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|-
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* 老板 <em>很</em> 生气。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>hěn</em> shēngqì.</span><span class="trans">The boss is angry.</span>
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| 我 || <em>很</em> || 好 || 。
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* 我们 <em>很</em> 累。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>hěn</em> lèi.</span><span class="trans">We're tired.</span>
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|-
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* 我 哥哥 也 <em>很</em> 高。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ gēge yě <em>hěn</em> gāo.</span><span class="trans">My older brother is also tall.</span>
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| 她 || <em>很</em> || 高 || 。
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* 你 家 也 <em>很</em> 远 吗？ <span class="pinyin"> Nǐ jiā yě <em>hěn</em> yuǎn ma?</span><span class="trans">Is your house also far away?</span>
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|-
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* 爸爸 <em>很</em> 忙，妈妈 也 很 忙。 <span class="pinyin"> Bàba <em>hěn</em> máng, māma  yě hěn máng.</span><span class="trans">Dad is busy, and mom is also busy.</span>
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| 他 || <em>很</em> || 高兴 || 。
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* 他 和 他 弟弟  都 <em>很</em> 帅。 <span class="pinyin">Tā hé tā dìdi dōu <em>hěn</em> shuài.</span><span class="trans">He and his younger brother are both handsome.</span>
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|-
 
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| 你 || <em>很</em> || 好看 || 。
 
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|-
 
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| 大象 || <em>很</em> || 大 || 。
 
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|-
 
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| 老鼠 || <em>很</em> || 小 || 。
 
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|}
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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Remember that '''是 is not used to link adjectives to nouns'''. This is a classic mistake that almost everyone makes when learning Chinese. Make sure you use 很 and not 是 to link adjectives to nouns, as shown below:
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Remember that '''是 (shì) is not used to link adjectives to nouns'''. This is a classic mistake that almost everyone makes when learning Chinese. Make sure you use 很 (hěn) and not 是 (shì) to link adjectives to nouns, as shown below:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
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<li class="x">他<strong>是</strong>高。</li>
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<li class="x">他 <strong>是</strong> 高。<span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>shì</strong> gāo.</span></li>
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<li class="o">他<strong>很</strong>高。</li>
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<li class="o">他 <em>很</em> 高。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>hěn</em> gāo.</span><span class="trans">He is tall.</span>
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</li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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== What 很 (hěn) Really Means ==
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 +
If you're like most learners, when you first learn this pattern, you're thinking, ''"How can 很 (hěn) mean "very" one minute, but then nothing but a "link" the next? How do I know if anything means anything in this language?"'' That's a reasonable response.  But in the case of these "Noun + Adj." sentences, you just have to think of this usage of 很 (hěn) as an exception. It's just part of the structure.
 +
 +
If you actually want to add the meaning of "very" into the sentence, you could use another adverb instead of 很 (hěn). One good choice is 非常 (fēicháng).
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 +
<div class="liju">
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 +
<ul>
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<li class="o">他 <strong>非常</strong> 高 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>fēicháng</strong> gāo.</span><span class="trans">He is very tall.</span></li>
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</ul>
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</div>
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== See also ==
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* [[Connecting nouns with "shi"]]
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* [[Emphasizing with "henshi"]]
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== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Videos ===
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* Yoyo Chinese: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDoyhfSUpII&list=PL94A5E422FB99CDDD "To be" + Adjectives]
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=== Books ===
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|42}}
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{{Source|Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar|56-8}}
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|44-5}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|126-28}}
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)|20-1, 143}}
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)|23, 166, 249}}
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{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）|86}}
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[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
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{{Basic Grammar|很|A1|Noun + 很 + Adj.|我 <em>很</em> 好。|grammar point|ASG17BLH}}
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{{Structure|Basics}}
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{{Similar|Basic sentence order}}
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{{Similar|"Both A and B" with "you"}}
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{{Similar|The "zui" superlative}}
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{{Similar|Emphasizing with "henshi"}}
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{{Similar|Connecting nouns with "shi"}} 
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{{Similar|Special verbs with "hen"}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "a little too" with "you dian"}}
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{{Similar|Adjectives with "name" and "zheme"}}
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{{Similar|Reduplication of adjectives}}
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{{Similar|The "also" adverb}}
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{{Similar|Adjectival complement "de hen"}}
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{{Used for|Expressing quality}}
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{{Used for|Describing things}}
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{{Translation|very}}
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{{Translation|be}}
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{{Translation|is}}

Latest revision as of 09:21, 20 April 2021

In English, nouns can be "linked" to adjectives and other nouns with the verb "to be." In Chinese, nouns are linked to other nouns in one way, but linked to adjectives in a completely different way. Nouns are linked to other nouns with 是 (shì). Nouns are linked to adjectives with 很 (hěn).

Structure

Noun + 很 + Adj.

The noun in this structure is the subject of the sentence. Sometimes the 很 (hěn) in this structure is translated as "very," but often it is just a way to link a noun to an adjective.

Examples

In the following examples, 很 (hěn) is just a link (you could think of it as a substitute for the verb "to be"), and the sentences could be translated as "(Noun) is (adjective)."

  • 我 很 好。 Wǒ hěn hǎo.I'm good.
  • 你 很 漂亮。 Nǐ hěn piàoliang.You are pretty.
  • 他 很 高兴。 Tā hěn gāoxìng.He is happy.
  • 中文 很 难。 Zhōngwén hěn nán.Chinese is difficult.
  • 老板 很 生气。 Lǎobǎn hěn shēngqì.The boss is angry.
  • 我们 很 累。 Wǒmen hěn lèi.We're tired.
  • 我 哥哥 也 很 高。 Wǒ gēge yě hěn gāo.My older brother is also tall.
  • 你 家 也 很 远 吗？ Nǐ jiā yě hěn yuǎn ma?Is your house also far away?
  • 爸爸 很 忙，妈妈 也 很 忙。 Bàba hěn máng, māma yě hěn máng.Dad is busy, and mom is also busy.
  • 他 和 他 弟弟 都 很 帅。 Tā hé tā dìdi dōu hěn shuài.He and his younger brother are both handsome.

Remember that 是 (shì) is not used to link adjectives to nouns. This is a classic mistake that almost everyone makes when learning Chinese. Make sure you use 很 (hěn) and not 是 (shì) to link adjectives to nouns, as shown below:

  • 他 是 高。Tā shì gāo.
  • 他 很 高。 Tā hěn gāo.He is tall.

What 很 (hěn) Really Means

If you're like most learners, when you first learn this pattern, you're thinking, "How can 很 (hěn) mean "very" one minute, but then nothing but a "link" the next? How do I know if anything means anything in this language?" That's a reasonable response. But in the case of these "Noun + Adj." sentences, you just have to think of this usage of 很 (hěn) as an exception. It's just part of the structure.

If you actually want to add the meaning of "very" into the sentence, you could use another adverb instead of 很 (hěn). One good choice is 非常 (fēicháng).

  • 他 非常 高 。Tā fēicháng gāo.He is very tall.

See also

Sources and further reading

Videos

Books

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