Keywords: hen, 很, Chinese adverb, very in Chinese, how to use hen, Chinese grammar, hen hao, Mandarin very, Chinese adjectives, linking verb, HSK 1 vocabulary
Summary: Learn the essential meaning and usage of “很” (hěn), one of the most common adverbs in Mandarin Chinese. This page explains why “很” means more than just “very” and is a crucial grammatical linker for adjectives, a common point of confusion for beginners. Discover its cultural role in softening statements and explore practical examples, common mistakes (like using “是” with adjectives), and related terms to master this fundamental building block of the Chinese language.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): hěn
Part of Speech: Adverb
HSK Level: HSK 1
Concise Definition: An adverb indicating a high degree, most commonly translated as “very” or “quite.”
In a Nutshell: While “很” (hěn) directly translates to “very,” its most frequent use in Mandarin is as a grammatical “glue” connecting a subject (like “I,” “he,” “the weather”) to a descriptive adjective (like “good,” “tall,” “cold”). In many neutral statements, it doesn't carry the strong emphasis of “very” in English. Instead, it's the default way to make a simple descriptive sentence sound complete and natural. Omitting it can make a sentence sound comparative or incomplete.
Character Breakdown
很 (hěn): This character is a phono-semantic compound, meaning it combines a component for meaning and a component for sound.
彳 (chì): The radical on the left is called the “double person radical” or “step radical.” It is often related to walking, movement, or roads.
艮 (gěn): The component on the right provides the sound. Its original meaning was related to “stopping,” “stubborn,” or “tough.”
The combination originally meant something like “defiant” or “disobedient.” Over centuries, its meaning drifted from describing a stubborn character trait to becoming a general-purpose adverb of degree, “very.” For learners, it's best to simply recognize the character and its modern function.
Cultural Context and Significance
While “很” is primarily a grammatical function word, its default usage reflects a subtle aspect of Chinese communication style: a preference for moderation and avoiding absolutes.
In English, saying “I am busy” is a standard, neutral statement. A direct translation, “我忙 (Wǒ máng),” can sound abrupt and imply a comparison, as in “I am busy (unlike you)” or “(As for being busy,) I am.”
By adding “很” to form “我很忙 (Wǒ hěn máng),” the sentence becomes a well-rounded, neutral statement of fact. It softens the assertion and makes it sound more like a simple description rather than a stark declaration. This grammatical habit helps maintain a smoother, less confrontational flow in conversation, aligning with the cultural value of harmony (和谐, héxié). It's the linguistic equivalent of taking the “edge” off a direct statement.
Practical Usage in Modern China
The Default Adjective Connector (Most Common Use): In its most common function, “很” simply links a subject and an adjective without adding strong emphasis. The tone is neutral.
Structure: Subject + 很 + Adjective
Example: 她很高 (Tā hěn gāo) - “She is tall.” (This is a neutral statement of fact, not necessarily “She is *very* tall.”)
As a True Intensifier (“Very”): To use “很” to genuinely mean “very,” speakers will vocally stress the word—saying it louder or holding the sound slightly longer. The context also makes the meaning clear.
Example: “哇，这个蛋糕很好吃！” (Wā, zhège dàngāo hěn hǎochī!) - “Wow, this cake is VERY delicious!”
In Negative Sentences: To say “not very,” the structure is 不 + 很 + Adjective. This is a softer way of expressing a negative quality than using “不” directly with the adjective.
Example: 他不很高 (Tā bù hěn gāo) - “He is not very tall.” (Softer than 他不高 - “He is not tall.”)
Example Sentences
Example 1:
我很好，谢谢。
Pinyin: Wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxie.
English: I am fine, thank you.
Analysis: This is the classic textbook response. “很” here is purely a grammatical linker. It doesn't mean “I am *very* good,” but simply “I am well.”
Example 2:
今天天气很冷。
Pinyin: Jīntiān tiānqì hěn lěng.
English: The weather is cold today.
Analysis: A neutral, factual statement. Without “很,” the sentence “今天天气冷 (Jīntiān tiānqì lěng)” might be used to imply a contrast, like “Today the weather is cold (but yesterday it wasn't).”
Example 3:
这部电影很有意思。
Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng hěn yǒu yìsi.
English: This movie is interesting.
Analysis: “有意思” (yǒu yìsi) acts as an adjective here meaning “interesting.” “很” connects it to the subject “这部电影” (this movie).
Example 4:
他跑得很快。
Pinyin: Tā pǎo de hěn kuài.
English: He runs very fast.
Analysis: Here, “很” is used in a degree complement structure (Verb + 得 + Adverb + Adjective) to describe the quality of an action. In this context, it often carries a stronger sense of “very.”
Example 5:
我很喜欢吃饺子。
Pinyin: Wǒ hěn xǐhuān chī jiǎozi.
English: I really like to eat dumplings.
Analysis: “很” can also modify psychological verbs like “喜欢” (xǐhuān - to like) or “想” (xiǎng - to miss/want). Here, it functions as a clear intensifier.
Example 6:
你的中文说得很流利。
Pinyin: Nǐ de Zhōngwén shuō de hěn liúlì.
English: You speak Chinese very fluently.
Analysis: Another example of a degree complement. This is a common compliment you might receive while learning Chinese.
Example 7:
这个地方不很方便。
Pinyin: Zhège dìfang bù hěn fāngbiàn.
English: This place isn't very convenient.
Analysis: This demonstrates the “不很” structure. It's a milder, more polite way of saying something is inconvenient compared to the more direct “这个地方不方便.”
Example 8:
我们很久没见了！
Pinyin: Wǒmen hěn jiǔ méi jiàn le!
English: We haven't seen each other for a long time!
Analysis: “很久” (hěn jiǔ) is a common fixed phrase meaning “a very long time.” “很” here is a strong intensifier.
Example 9:
听到这个消息，我很惊讶。
Pinyin: Tīngdào zhège xiāoxi, wǒ hěn jīngyà.
English: Hearing this news, I was very surprised.
Analysis: Used to describe a personal feeling or reaction. The intensity can be inferred from the context or tone of voice.
Example 10:
这个问题很简单，你肯定会。
Pinyin: Zhège wèntí hěn jiǎndān, nǐ kěndìng huì.
English: This question is simple, you can definitely do it.
Analysis: A straightforward description. “很” makes the sentence grammatically complete and natural-sounding.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using 是 (shì) with adjectives.
English speakers often translate “I am tall” as “我是高 (Wǒ shì gāo).” This is grammatically incorrect. In Chinese, 是 (shì) connects nouns (or noun phrases), while 很 (hěn) connects a subject to an adjective.
Incorrect: 我是累。(Wǒ shì lèi.)
Correct: 我很累。(Wǒ hěn lèi.) - I am tired.
Correct: 我是学生。(Wǒ shì xuéshēng.) - I am a student. (“Student” is a noun).
Mistake 2: Omitting 很 in simple descriptive sentences.
Saying “她漂亮 (Tā piàoliang)” instead of “她很漂亮 (Tā hěn piàoliang)” is a common beginner mistake. While not always strictly “wrong,” omitting “很” changes the meaning. It creates a sense of comparison or topic-comment structure.
Implying comparison: A: “姐姐和妹妹，谁漂亮？(Who is prettier, the older or younger sister?)” B: “妹妹漂亮。(The younger sister is pretty.)”
Neutral statement: “她很漂亮。(She is pretty.)”
Mistake 3: Thinking 很 always means “VERY”.
Remember that 很 is often just a neutral linker. If you want to strongly emphasize something, it's better to use a stronger adverb.
Even Stronger: 我高兴极了。(Wǒ gāoxìng jíle.) - I'm overjoyed.
Related Terms and Concepts
非常 (fēicháng) - “Extremely,” “unusually.” A much stronger intensifier than 很.
太 (tài) - “Too,” used in exclamations to express a high degree, often with a sense of pleasant surprise or complaint (e.g., 太好了! Tài hǎo le! - That's great!).
挺 (tǐng) - “Quite,” “rather.” Often colloquial and slightly weaker than 很. (e.g., 挺好的 tǐng hǎo de - pretty good).
特别 (tèbié) - “Especially,” “particularly.” Stronger than 很, used to single something out.
真 (zhēn) - “Really,” “truly.” Expresses genuine feeling or surprise, often more emotional than 很.
是 (shì) - The verb “to be.” It is used to link two nouns (A 是 B), and is a common point of confusion with 很 for learners.
不 (bù) - The main negating adverb, used to form “不很” (not very) and to negate adjectives directly (不好 - not good).
都 (dōu) - “All,” “both.” An adverb that often appears in sentences with 很, such as “我们都很好” (Wǒmen dōu hěn hǎo - We are all fine).