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很hěnvery; quite

HSK 1word

By Chinese Copilot · Last updated

很 (hěn) means "very" or "quite," and it is the usual link between a noun and an adjective. In Noun + 很 + Adj. sentences it often works as a link rather than a strong "very." It can also intensify some feeling verbs, as in 很喜欢.

What does 很 mean?

  1. 1.

    very; quiteadverb

What does the character 很 mean?

  • 很very; quite

How do you use 很?

Grammar patterns

  1. 1

    Noun + 很 + Adj.

    Link a noun to an adjective with 很, not 是. 很 here may only be a link; it does not always add a strong "very."

  2. 2

    Subj. + 很 + [feeling verb]

    Put 很 before some feeling verbs such as 喜欢 or 想 to intensify them, similar to "really" or "very much."

Do not put 是 before a bare adjective the way English uses "to be"; use 很 to link the noun and the adjective instead.

Patterns

  • 很 + Adj.

    天气很好。

    Tiānqì hěn hǎo.

    The weather is nice.

  • 很 + 喜欢

    我很喜欢中文。

    Wǒ hěn xǐhuan Zhōngwén.

    I really like Chinese.

What are some examples of 很 in a sentence?

  1. HSK 1

    我很好。

    Wǒ hěn hǎo.

    I'm fine.

  2. HSK 1

    今天很忙。

    Jīntiān hěn máng.

    Today is very busy. / I'm busy today.

  3. HSK 1

    他很高兴。

    Tā hěn gāoxìng.

    He is happy.

  4. HSK 1

    这本书很贵。

    Zhè běn shū hěn guì.

    This book is expensive.

How is 很 different from 是?

很 links a noun to an adjective (我很好). 是 links two nouns (我是学生). Do not say 我是好 for "I am fine."

Only 很 fits here

我很好。

Wǒ hěn hǎo.

I'm fine.

How is 很 used in a conversation?

  1. Speaker A:

    你好吗？

    Nǐ hǎo ma?

    How are you?

  2. Speaker B:

    我很好。你呢？

    Wǒ hěn hǎo. Nǐ ne?

    I'm fine. And you?

  3. Speaker A:

    我也很好。今天忙吗？

    Wǒ yě hěn hǎo. Jīntiān máng ma?

    I'm fine too. Are you busy today?

  4. Speaker B:

    很忙。

    Hěn máng.

    Very busy.

  5. Speaker A:

    这本书贵吗？

    Zhè běn shū guì ma?

    Is this book expensive?

  6. Speaker B:

    很贵。

    Hěn guì.

    Very expensive.

Can you use 很 correctly?

0 of 3 answered
  1. 1.Fill in the blank: 我___好。
  2. 2.Which sentence is correct?
  3. 3.Fill in the blank: 他___高兴。

What should you learn next?

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English glosses on this page are adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG (snapshot 2026-10-23), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Glosses were edited for learners.