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Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 不太
“不太” (bù tài) is a phrase in Chinese used to indicate that something is “not very” or “not too.”
It softens the intensity of a statement, making it sound less strong or absolute.
BASIC STRUCTURE
The basic structure to use the grammar point 不太 is the following:
PATTERN
Subject + 不太 + Adjective/Verb
不太 WITH ADJECTIVES
“不太” can be combined with adjectives to express that something isn’t as extreme or intense as one might expect.
Similar to “not really…” or “not very” in English.
| 这个房间 不太 大。 | Zhège fángjiān bù tài dà. | This room is not very big. |
| 他 不太 高兴。 | Tā bù tài gāoxìng. | He is not very happy. |
| 这杯茶 不太 热。 | Zhè bēi chá bù tài rè. | This cup of tea is not very hot. |
| 那个故事 不太 有趣。 | Nàge gùshì bù tài yǒuqù. | That story is not very interesting. |
| 今天的空气 不太 新鲜。 | Jīntiān de kōngqì bù tài xīnxiān. | The air today is not very fresh. |
NOTES ||
• “不太” softens the intensity of adjectives like big, happy, hot, interesting, etc.
• It implies that the subject possesses the quality to a small degree but not overwhelmingly.
不太 WITH VERBS
When combined with verbs, “不太” indicates that the action or state is performed or exists only to a small extent, or not very frequently.
It’s similar to “not really…” in English.
| 我 不太 了解他。 | Wǒ bù tài liǎojiě tā. | I don’t know him very well. |
| 她 不太 出去玩。 | Tā bù tài chūqù wán. | She doesn’t go out to play much. |
| 这个问题我 不太 明白。 | Zhège wèntí wǒ bù tài míngbai. | I don’t quite understand this problem. |
NOTES ||
• Using “不太” with verbs indicates that the action is done to a limited degree or infrequently.
• It can help soften the negative tone of a statement, making it sound less harsh.
COMPARING 不太 vs. 不
Using “不太” instead of simply “不” adds a layer of moderation to the statement.
“不” (bù) on its own is more direct and absolute, while “不太” suggests a more nuanced, gentle form of negation.
Using 不 (bù)
| 他 不 喜欢你。 | Tā bù xǐhuan nǐ. | He doesn’t like you. |
| 我 不 明白。 | Wǒ bù míngbai. | I don’t understand. |
| 我们 不 去那里。 | Wǒmen bù qù nàli. | We don’t go there. |
Using 不太 (bù tài)
| 他 不太 喜欢你。 | Tā bù tài xǐhuan nǐ. | He doesn’t like you very much. |
| 我 不太 明白。 | Wǒ bù tài míngbai. | I don’t quite understand. |
| 我们 不太 去那里。 | Wǒmen bù tài qù nàli. | We don’t go there often. |
NOTE ||
• “不” is more straightforward and assertive, while “不太” implies a weaker degree of negation.
• Use “不太” when you want to soften your statement.
NUANCED MEANING & POLITENESS
“不太” can be used to politely disagree, decline, or express disinterest. It’s less confrontational than using a flat “不” (bù).
In the following sentences, for example, it would sound too strong if we replace “不太“ with ”不“。
| 我 不太 想去。 | Wǒ bù tài xiǎng qù. | I don’t really want to go. |
| 他 不太 喜欢喝咖啡。 | Tā bù tài xǐhuan hē kāfēi. | He doesn’t really like drinking coffee. |
| 我 不太 同意你的看法。 | Wǒ bù tài tóngyì nǐ de kànfǎ. | I don’t quite agree with your opinion. |
NOTES ||
• This softer phrasing is great for maintaining politeness in social interactions.
• It allows the speaker to express a subtle form of refusal or disagreement without sounding too direct.
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS
In addition to “不太” (bù tài), the expression “不怎么” (bù zěnme) also conveys a similar sense of moderation or uncertainty.
不怎么 (bù zěnme) and “不太” are synonyms and can be used interchangeably.
Except in terms of formality, “不太” is neutral and “不怎么” is informal.
Even though the pair are synonyms, keep in mind to choose the one that is context-appropriate.
不怎么 (bù zěnme)
Meaning: “Not much” or “not very often.” Used to indicate a low degree of frequency or intensity.
Usage: Commonly used with verbs or adjectives.
| 我 不怎么 喜欢这个地方。 | Wǒ bù zěnme xǐhuan zhège dìfāng. | I don’t really like this place much. |
| 她 不怎么 看电视。 | Tā bù zěnme kàn diànshì. | She doesn’t watch TV much. |
| 这个电影我 不怎么 感兴趣。 | Zhège diànyǐng wǒ bù zěnme gǎn xìngqù. | I’m not very interested in this movie. |
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FAQs
What does 不太 mean in Chinese?
不太 generally means “not very” or “not too,” used to soften the degree of an adjective or verb, indicating something is less intense.
How is 不太 different from just using 不?
While 不 means “not,” 不太 softens the negation, implying something is only slightly lacking.
For example, 不太好 (bù tài hǎo) means “not very good,” which is gentler than just saying 不好 (bù hǎo, “not good”).
Can 不太 be used with adjectives and verbs?
Yes, 不太 can modify adjectives, like 不太贵 (bù tài guì, “not too expensive”), and verbs, like 不太喜欢 (bù tài xǐhuān, “don’t really like”).
Is there a specific word order when using 不太?
Yes, 不太 comes before the adjective or verb it’s modifying. For example, 他不太忙 (tā bù tài máng) means “he is not too busy.”
Are there similar expressions to 不太?
Yes, other expressions like 有点 (yǒudiǎn, “a little”) also convey soft negation but often imply dissatisfaction.
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