Adj. + 得很 (quite/very)

• Pinyin: de hěn
• Formation: Adj. + 得很
• Hanzi breakdown: 很 = 彳 (step) + 艮 (stubborn), suggesting persistence or intensity

Meaning

Placed after an adjective to emphasize the degree, similar to saying 'quite' or 'very much so' in English. It adds emphasis that goes beyond a simple 很 before the adjective. This pattern is very common in daily conversation.

The complement 得很 is one of the simplest degree complements in Chinese, yet it carries a distinctly emphatic tone that differs from placing 很 before the adjective. While 很好 is relatively neutral and often just means 'good,' 好得很 carries genuine emphasis and often implies a rebuttal or strong assertion. This pattern is widely used across all Chinese dialects and is especially prevalent in spoken Chinese. Compared to 得不得了, 得很 is milder and more versatile, suitable for both positive and negative adjectives without sounding exaggerated.

Examples

1. 这家店的生意好得很，每天都排长队。 This shop's business is booming; there's a long queue every day.
2. 他对这件事清楚得很，你不用再解释了。 He knows this matter very well; you don't need to explain again.
3. 奶奶虽然八十岁了，身体硬朗得很。 Although Grandma is eighty years old, she's in excellent health.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, everyday

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 小王的厨艺高得很，随便做一道菜都特别好吃。
• 今天的风大得很，出门记得带伞。
• 这个学期的课程难得很，大家都在拼命复习。

Don't Say

• 她得很漂亮。(得很 must follow an adjective, not precede it — the correct structure is Adj. + 得很) → 她漂亮得很。
• 这个问题得很复杂。(Same structural error — 得很 is a post-adjectival complement, not a pre-adjectival modifier) → 这个问题复杂得很。

Origin & History

The use of 得 as a structural particle linking adjectives to complements dates back to Middle Chinese. The combination 得很 became standardized in modern Mandarin as a colloquial intensifier, with 很 retaining its core meaning of 'very' in post-adjectival position.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal