简直

• Pinyin: jiǎn zhí
• Hanzi breakdown: 简 = 竹 (bamboo) + 间 (space) — brevity, simplicity; 直 = 十 (ten) + 目 (eye) — looking straight ahead, directness

Meaning

Simply; practically; virtually. An emphatic adverb used to intensify a statement, often expressing surprise, disbelief, or strong feeling.

简直 always precedes a verb or adjective and adds emphasis, implying that a situation is so extreme it is almost unbelievable. It is frequently followed by 不可思议 (unbelievable), 太...了 structures, or comparisons. It cannot stand alone or end a sentence. Common in spoken language to express exaggeration or strong emotion.

Examples

1. 这道菜的味道简直太好了，我没想到。 The taste of this dish is simply amazing — I didn't expect it.
2. 外面下着大雨，简直没办法出门。 It's raining so hard outside that it's practically impossible to go out.
3. 他一天能背两百个单词，简直太厉害了。 He can memorise two hundred words in a day — it's simply incredible.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, spoken, emotional expression

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 这里的风景简直美极了。(The scenery here is simply stunning.)
• 他说话的速度简直太快了，我听不懂。(He speaks so fast I practically can't understand him.)

Don't Say

• 这很简直。(Don't use 简直 as a standalone predicate — it must precede another verb or adjective. Say 这简直太好了 or similar.)

Origin & History

Compound of 简 (simple, straightforward) and 直 (straight, directly). Together they convey the sense of 'put simply' or 'to state it directly,' which evolved into an intensifying adverb meaning 'it is simply the case that...'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal