Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 得很
In Chinese, 得很 is a complement of degree that is used to emphasise the intensity or degree of an adjective.
It conveys a meaning similar to extremely or very in English.
INTRODUCTION
很 means very and 很 + Adjective (hěn + adj.) is the default way to say something is [adjective] in Chinese.
When we have the adjectives first, we can use 得很 following the adjectives. It conveys a strong degree of emphasis and it’s primarily used colloquially.
It is often used in spoken Chinese and has a slightly colloquial tone.
| Structure | Pinyin | English Translation | Tone/Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 很 + [Adjective] | hěn + adj. | Very… or simply neutral is… | Neutral, common in spoken Chinese. |
| [Adjective] + 得很 | adj. + de hěn | Extremely… / Very much so | Stronger, emphatic, colloquial. |
The basic sentence pattern is as follows:
PATTERN
[Subject] + [Adjective] + 得很
- Subject: The person, thing, or situation being described.
- Adjective: A descriptive word like 好 (hǎo), 大 (dà), 漂亮 (piàoliang), etc.
- 得很: The complement that emphasizes the intensity of the adjective.
天气好得很。
The weather is very good.他高兴得很。
He is very happy.View More Examples:
| 这本书有趣得很。 | Zhè běn shū yǒuqù de hěn. | This book is very interesting. |
| 这里的菜好吃得很。 | Zhèlǐ de cài hǎochī de hěn. | The food here is very delicious. |
| 那座山高得很。 | Nà zuò shān gāo de hěn. | That mountain is very tall. |
| 这个地方安静得很。 | Zhège dìfang ānjìng de hěn. | This place is very quiet. |
When to use 得很
➡️ Use 得很 to intensify an adjective in spoken Chinese.
➡️ It expresses strong feelings or opinions about something.
➡️ It is more colloquial and generally found in casual conversations.
Key Notes:
得很 usually comes after a single adjective, not a compound or complex phrase.
- ✅ 天气冷得很。 (Tiānqì lěng de hěn.) – The weather is very cold.
- ❌ 天气冷和阴沉得很。 (Not correct)
It is more commonly used in spoken Chinese, particularly in informal settings.
➡️ If you want a softer tone, you can use alternatives like 很 (hěn) or 非常 (fēicháng). They both have the same meaning of 得很 except they are more neutral or formal.
For example, to say She is very happy:
| neutral | more formal | informal |
|---|---|---|
|
她很高兴。
tā hěn gāo xīng 。 She is very happy. |
她非常高兴。
tā fēi cháng gāo xìng 。 She is very happy. |
她高兴得很。
tā gāo xìng de hěn 。 She is very happy. |
COMPARISON: 很, 非常, AND 得很
| 很 , 非常 and 得很 | Structure |
|---|---|
| 很 | 很 + [Adjective] |
| 非常 | 非常 + [Adjective] |
| 得很 | Adjective + [得很] |
这本书很有趣。
This book is interesting.他高兴得很。
He is very happy.View Examples:
| 这本书非常有趣。 | Zhè běn shū fēicháng yǒuqù. | This book is very interesting. |
| 这本书有趣得很。 | Zhè běn shū yǒuqù de hěn. | This book is extremely interesting. |
| 天气很冷。 | Tiānqì hěn lěng. | The weather is cold. |
| 天气非常冷。 | Tiānqì fēicháng lěng. | The weather is very cold. |
| 天气冷得很。 | Tiānqì lěng de hěn. | The weather is extremely cold. |
| 你的房间很干净。 | Nǐ de fángjiān hěn gānjìng. | Your room is clean. |
| 你的房间非常干净。 | Nǐ de fángjiān fēicháng gānjìng. | Your room is very clean. |
| 你的房间干净得很。 | Nǐ de fángjiān gānjìng de hěn. | Your room is extremely clean. |
| 他很高兴。 | Tā hěn gāoxìng. | He is happy. |
| 他非常高兴。 | Tā fēicháng gāoxìng. | He is very happy. |
| 他高兴得很。 | Tā gāoxìng de hěn. | He is extremely happy. |
| 这道菜很好吃。 | Zhè dào cài hěn hǎochī. | This dish is tasty. |
| 这道菜非常好吃。 | Zhè dào cài fēicháng hǎochī. | This dish is very tasty. |
| 这道菜好吃得很。 | Zhè dào cài hǎochī de hěn. | This dish is extremely tasty. |
Key Takeaways
1. 很
- Expresses a general degree of intensity.
- Neutral tone, often used in casual speech.
2. 非常
- Indicates stronger intensity than 很.
- Slightly more formal and can be used in spoken and written contexts.
3. 得很
- Used in spoken Chinese, colloquial and emphatic.
- Indicates a very high degree or extreme level of the adjective.
COMPARISON WITH 极了
Another expression similar to 得很 is 极了 (jí le), which is also used to intensify adjectives and added after the adjectives.
PATTERN
[Adjective] + 极了
The difference between 得很 and 极了 is their level of formalities:
| usage | example SENTENCE | |
|---|---|---|
| 得很 | More colloquial, commonly used in spoken language. |
这本书有趣得很。
zhèběn shū yǒu qù de hěn 。 This book is very interesting. |
| 极了 | More formal and often used to express extremes. Commonly used in writings or formal settings. |
这本书有趣极了。
zhè běn shū yǒu qù jí le。 This book is extremely interesting. |
➡️ Both sentences mean: This book is very interesting.
View More Comparisons:
|
这本书有趣得很。
Zhè běn shū yǒuqù de hěn. This book is very interesting. |
这本书有趣极了。
Zhè běn shū yǒuqù jí le. This book is extremely interesting. |
|
电影精彩得很。
Diànyǐng jīngcǎi de hěn. The movie is very exciting. |
电影精彩极了。
Diànyǐng jīngcǎi jí le. The movie is extremely exciting. |
NEGATIVE INTENSITY WITH 得很
While 得很 is often used in positive contexts, it can also express negative intensity.
这个地方无聊得很。
This place is extremely boring.最近的工作累得很。
Work has been extremely tiring lately.View More Examples:
| 他烦得很，不知道该怎么办。 | Tā fán de hěn, bù zhīdào gāi zěnme bàn. | He is extremely upset and doesn’t know what to do. |
| 他的态度冷淡得很，让人很不舒服。 | Tā de tàidu lěngdàn de hěn, ràng rén hěn bù shūfu. | His attitude is extremely cold, which makes people uncomfortable. |
| 这个地方偏得很，去一趟特别麻烦。 | Zhège dìfang piān de hěn, qù yī tàng tèbié máfan. | This place is extremely remote, and going there is really troublesome. |
| 这孩子固执得很，谁的话都听不进去。 | Zhè háizi gùzhí de hěn, shuí de huà dōu tīng bù jìnqù. | This kid is extremely stubborn; he won’t listen to anyone. |
| 我最近累得很，连吃饭的力气都没有。 | Wǒ zuìjìn lèi de hěn, lián chīfàn de lìqi dōu méiyǒu. | I’ve been extremely tired lately, I don’t even have the energy to eat. |
| 他的话气人得很，我听了就生气。 | Tā de huà qìrén de hěn, wǒ tīng le jiù shēngqì. | What he said is extremely infuriating; I get angry just hearing it. |
➡️ NOTE || In negative contexts, 得很 amplifies dissatisfaction, annoyance, or discomfort.
SUMMARY
The adjectival complement 得很 is a versatile and expressive structure in Chinese used to emphasize the degree of an adjective.
It conveys intensity and is especially common in colloquial speech.
While it shares some similarities with 很, 得很 adds a stronger, more emotional, and sometimes subjective tone.
Key Points
1. Basic Structure
Adjective + 得很: Indicates extremely or very and appears as a complement after the adjective.
天气冷得很。
The weather is extremely cold.2. Tone and Emphasis
- 得很 is more emphatic and often adds a personal or emotional flavor. It can express positive intensity (e.g., 好得很, extremely good) or negative intensity (e.g., 累得很, extremely tired).
3. Comparison with 很
- 很 is neutral and factual, suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
- 得很 is more intense, often used in conversational contexts to emphasize feelings or extremes.
4. Usage in Positive and Negative Contexts
- Positive: Describes favorable attributes with strong emphasis (e.g., 高兴得很, extremely happy).
- Negative: Expresses dissatisfaction, discomfort, or extremes of negative feelings (e.g., 乱得很, extremely messy).
5. Flexibility in Context
- 得很 is widely used in everyday Chinese, making it a valuable tool for natural and expressive communication.
Key Learning Tips
➡️ Use 得很 when you want to stress intensity, especially in informal or conversational settings.
➡️ Practice recognizing the tone and emotional nuance of 得很 in context, whether it’s positive or negative.
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FAQs
What does 得很 mean in Chinese?
得很 (de hěn) is used as a complement after adjectives or certain verbs to emphasize a high degree of intensity.
How is 得很 different from 很?
很 is placed before an adjective (很高兴), while 得很 is placed after an adjective (高兴得很) to add extra emphasis.
Can 得很 be used with all adjectives?
No, it is mostly used with subjective adjectives related to emotions, opinions, or states, such as 累得很, 生气得很, or 舒服得很.
Is 得很 formal or informal?
得很 is often used in spoken Chinese and is more common in northern dialects, while written Chinese may use alternative structures like 非常 or 极了.
Can 得很 be used with verbs?
Yes, but only with certain verbs that describe a state, such as 累得很 (“very tired”) or 气得很 (“very angry”).
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