Once you have the neutral default 很, the next step is a whole family of degree adverbs that slot into the same position but each carry a real, distinct strength — and a distinct register. They all sit directly before the adjective (非常好, 比较难) except one, 极了, which clamps on behind it (好极了). Master this handful and you can dial an adjective up or down precisely instead of saying 很 for everything. The one structural quirk to remember is 挺, which almost always wants a closing 的: 挺好的.
The intensity scale
These adverbs are not interchangeable synonyms — they differ in how strong they are and how formal they sound. Here they are, roughly weakest to strongest, with register:
| Adverb | Force | Register | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 比较 (bǐjiào) | fairly / relatively | neutral | 比较难 (bǐjiào nán) |
| 挺…的 (tǐng…de) | quite | informal, warm | 挺好的 (tǐng hǎo de) |
| 很 (hěn) | bleached default / "very" if stressed | neutral | 很好 (hěn hǎo) |
| 真 (zhēn) | really (exclamatory) | informal | 真漂亮 (zhēn piàoliang) |
| 非常 (fēicháng) | extremely | neutral | 非常好 (fēicháng hǎo) |
| 特别 (tèbié) | especially / particularly | informal–neutral | 特别冷 (tèbié lěng) |
| 十分 (shífēn) | very (lit. "ten parts") | formal / written | 十分重要 (shífēn zhòngyào) |
| …极了 (jíle) | extremely (postposed) | informal, exclamatory | 好极了 (hǎo jíle) |
这部电影非常好看。
zhè bù diànyǐng fēicháng hǎokàn
This movie is extremely good. — 非常 for a strong, neutral 'very'.
今天特别冷，多穿点。
jīntiān tèbié lěng, duō chuān diǎn
It's especially cold today, dress warm. — 特别 highlights this instance.
这次考试比较难。
zhè cì kǎoshì bǐjiào nán
This exam was relatively hard. — 比较 tones it down to 'fairly'.
你今天真漂亮！
nǐ jīntiān zhēn piàoliang!
You look really pretty today! — 真 is exclamatory, warmer than 很.
挺…的 and its clingy 的
挺 (tǐng) "quite / pretty" is a favourite of casual speech, and it comes with a habit: it nearly always closes with 的 (de). Say 挺好的, not a bare 挺好 — the lone 挺好 sounds unfinished, much like a bare adjective does. Treat 挺…的 as a frame, the way you treat 太…了.
这儿的咖啡挺好喝的。
zhèr de kāfēi tǐng hǎohē de
The coffee here is quite good. — 挺 with its closing 的.
他这个人挺有意思的。
tā zhège rén tǐng yǒuyìsi de
He's a pretty interesting guy. — 挺…的 around 有意思.
今天挺累的，早点休息吧。
jīntiān tǐng lèi de, zǎodiǎn xiūxi ba
I'm pretty tired today, let's rest early. — the everyday 挺…的.
极了: the intensifier that goes behind
极了 (jíle) "extremely" breaks the pattern — it does not precede the adjective, it attaches after it: 好极了 "fantastic," 累极了 "dead tired." It is punchy and exclamatory, and because it already means "to the extreme," you never add 很 or 非常 in front.
我饿极了，能先吃点东西吗？
wǒ è jíle, néng xiān chī diǎn dōngxi ma?
I'm starving — can I grab a bite first? — 极了 postposed after 饿.
这个消息太好了，我们高兴极了。
zhège xiāoxi tài hǎo le, wǒmen gāoxìng jíle
This news is wonderful, we're overjoyed. — 极了 hooks onto 高兴.
For comparative and superlative degree, Chinese uses the pre-adjective 更 (gèng) "even more" and 最 (zuì) "most" — the same slot again:
这里冬天最冷，能到零下二十度。
zhèlǐ dōngtiān zuì lěng, néng dào língxià èrshí dù
Winter here is the coldest, it can hit minus twenty. — 最 for the superlative degree.
A close cousin, 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr) "a bit," also scales an adjective but adds a negative slant — 有点儿贵 "a bit (annoyingly) expensive" — so it gets its own page.
Common Mistakes
1. Stacking two degree adverbs. One slot, one adverb. 很非常好 is a double filler.
❌ 这个菜很非常好吃。
Incorrect — pick one; say 非常好吃 or 很好吃, not both.
✅ 这个菜非常好吃。
zhège cài fēicháng hǎochī
This dish is extremely delicious.
2. Forgetting 挺's closing 的. A bare 挺好 sounds unfinished.
❌ 这儿的咖啡挺好喝。
Sounds cut off — 挺 wants its 的: 挺好喝的.
✅ 这儿的咖啡挺好喝的。
zhèr de kāfēi tǐng hǎohē de
The coffee here is quite good.
3. Putting 极了 in front of the adjective. 极了 is postposed — it follows the adjective.
❌ 我极了累。
Wrong order — 极了 goes after: 我累极了.
✅ 我累极了。
wǒ lèi jíle
I'm exhausted.
4. Adding 很 to 极了 or 非常. They already max out the scale.
❌ 好很极了。
Incorrect — 极了 is already extreme; just 好极了.
✅ 好极了！
hǎo jíle!
Fantastic!
Key Takeaways
- Degree adverbs fill the same pre-adjective slot as 很, but each has its own strength and register: 比较 (fairly) < 挺…的 (quite) < 真 / 非常 / 特别 (really/extremely) < 十分 (formal "very").
- 挺 almost always closes with 的: 挺好的, not 挺好.
- 极了 is postposed — it attaches after the adjective (好极了, 累极了) and needs no other intensifier.
- Use 更 for "even more" and 最 for "most"; both go before the adjective.
- Never stack two degree adverbs (❌ 很非常好). One slot, one filler.
- 有点儿 also scales an adjective but adds a negative slant — see 有点儿.
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- The Default 很 (Linking hěn)HSK 1 — A plain predicate adjective normally takes an unstressed 很 (hěn) that does NOT mean 'very' — it is a neutral linker that makes the description sound complete: 我很好 'I'm fine', 他很高 'he's tall'.
- 有点儿 + Adjective (Slightly, with a Complaint)HSK 2 — 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr) sits BEFORE an adjective to mean 'a bit / somewhat' — and it almost always carries a complaint: 有点儿贵 'a bit (too) pricey', 有点儿累 'kind of tired', 有点儿难 'a little hard'.
- Degree Adverbs (很 / 太 / 非常 / 更 / 最)HSK 1 — Degree adverbs are the adverb class that scales gradable words — 很, 非常, 特别, 太…了, 更, 最, 比较 all sit before the adjective or psych-verb and run from a bare linker up to the superlative.
- 太…了 (Too / So)HSK 1 — The frame 太…了 (tài…le) brackets an adjective for 'too' or an emphatic 'so': 太贵了 'too expensive', 太好了 'great!', 太累了 'so tired'. The closing 了 is near-obligatory; 不太 means 'not very'.