zhège zhǐxiāng hěn zhòng.

This cardboard box is very heavy.

Breakdown of zhège zhǐxiāng hěn zhòng.

• 很hěn: very
• 这个zhège: this
• 纸箱zhǐxiāng: cardboard box
• 重zhòng: heavy

Questions & Answers about zhège zhǐxiāng hěn zhòng.

Why is 个 used in 这个纸箱?

In Mandarin, 这 (this) usually needs a measure word / classifier before a noun.

So:

• 这 = this
• 个 = a very common general classifier
• 纸箱 = cardboard box

That gives:

• 这个纸箱 = this cardboard box

English does not have this pattern, but Mandarin usually does. You normally cannot just say 这纸箱 in standard Mandarin.

Does 这个 mean just this, or does it literally mean something like this one?

Literally, 这个 is:

• 这 = this
• 个 = classifier

So it is closer to this one / this [classifier] in structure.

But in normal English translation, 这个纸箱 is simply this cardboard box.

Why is there no word for is in the sentence?

Because in Mandarin, many adjectives can directly act as the predicate.

So instead of saying:

• This cardboard box is heavy

Mandarin says something closer to:

• This cardboard box very/heavy

In other words, 重 can function like is heavy by itself in the sentence. You do not use 是 before an adjective here.

So:

• 这个纸箱是重 ❌
• 这个纸箱很重 ✅