Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 最
In this lesson we will proceed to teach you how to form a superlative (biggest, best, worst, etc.) in Chinese.
Unlike English, we do not change the form of the adjective by adding “-est.” Instead, we use the intensifier 最 (zuì) before the adjective to express the most.
最 WITH ADJECTIVES
In Chinese, we put 最 (zuì) before the adjective to form superlatives. The structure is as follows:
PATTERN
最 + Adjective
Note that we can only use 最 (zuì) if we compare three or more objects. For comparing two things, use 比 (bǐ).
南极是世界上最冷的地方之一。
Antarctica is one of the coldest places in the world.View More Phrases
| chinese | pinyin | english |
|---|---|---|
| 午后的阳光是最刺眼的。 | wǔ hòu de yáng guāng shì zuì cì yǎn de | The afternoon sun is the harshest. |
| 今天是这个月最热的一天。 | jīn tiān shì zhè gè yuè zuì rè de yī tiān | Today is the hottest day of the month. |
| 这是店里最贵的裙子。 | zhè shì diàn lǐ zuì guì de qún zǐ | This is the most expensive dress in the store. |
| 我是我们家年龄最小的孩子。 | wǒ shì wǒ men jiā nián líng zuì xiǎo de hái zǐ | I am the youngest child in our family. |
| 请记住这是最重要的事情。 | qǐng jì zhù zhè shì zuì zhòng yào de shì qíng | Remember this is the most important thing. |
| 赞美是世界上最美的语言。 | zàn měi shì shì jiè shàng zuì měi de yǔ yán | Praise is the most beautiful language in the world. |
最 WITH 了 (OPTIONAL)
Occasionally you’ll also see a 了 (le) added after the adjective. This simply adds emphasis to the “-est.”
PATTERN
最 + Adjective (+ 了)
Remember, we can only apply this pattern in informal situations.
小狗最可爱了。
Puppy is the cutest.瑞士的风景最美了。
Switzerland has the most beautiful scenery.View More Phrases
| chinese | pinyin | english |
|---|---|---|
| 我做功课的时候最认真了。 | wǒ zuò gōng kè de shí hòu zuì rèn zhēn le | I am most attentive when I do my homework. |
| 你做的菜最好吃了。 | nǐ zuò de cài zuì hǎo chī le | The food you make is the best. |
| 我的中国朋友最热情了。 | wǒ de zhōng guó péng yǒu zuì rè qíng le | My Chinese friends are the most enthusiastic. |
NOTE || 了 (le) is optional in the sentence pattern that uses 最 (zuì) to express superlative.
You can add it to strengthen your tone, but it’s not essential.
最 WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL VERBS
Besides the adjectives, we can also place the psychological verbs after the 最 (zuì). Psychological verbs are the verbs that related to people’s psychological status, such as “like”, “hate”, “love”, etc. The sentence structure is:
PATTERN
最 + [Psychological Verb] + Object (+ 了)
我最害怕蜘蛛了。
I am most afraid of spiders.我最欣赏诚实的品质。
I appreciate honesty the most.View More Phrases
| chinese | pinyin | english |
|---|---|---|
| 她最爱她的女儿。 | tā zuì ài tā de nǚ ér | She loves her daughter the most. |
| 我最喜欢这件衣服了。 | wǒ zuì xǐ huān zhè jiàn yī fú le | I like this dress the most. |
| 最令我担心的事情发生了。 | zuì lìng wǒ dān xīn de shì qíng fā shēng le | The thing that worried me the most happened. |
| 演讲是我最擅长做的事情。 | yǎn jiǎng shì wǒ zuì shàn zhǎng zuò de shì qíng | Speaking is what I do best. |
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FAQs
What does 最 mean?
In Chinese, we use the intensifier 最 (zuì) before the adjective to express the most. This lets us form superlatives (biggest, best, worst, etc.) when comparing a noun to the rest.
How do you say 最?
The character 最 is pronounced zuì.
Can I use 最 when comparing two objects?
No! You can only use 最 when comparing three or more objects. If you want to compare two objects, then you need to use 比 (bǐ).
What are some example sentences with 最?
Here are some example sentences with 最:
– 南极是世界上最冷的地方之一。nán jí shì shì jiè shàng zuì lěng de dì fāng zhī yī. Antarctica is one of the coldest places in the world.
– 小狗最可爱了。xiǎo gǒu zuì kě ài le. Puppy is the cutest.
– 我最害怕蜘蛛了。wǒ zuì hài pà zhī zhū le. I am most afraid of spiders.
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