Questions & Answers about nàge shēngyīn hěn kěpà.
Why is there no 是 in 那个声音很可怕?
In Chinese, when an adjective works as the predicate, you usually do not use 是 before it.
So:
- 那个声音很可怕。 = That sound is scary.
Not:
- 那个声音是很可怕。 ✘
A useful pattern is:
- Noun + 很 + Adjective
Examples:
- 他很高。 = He is tall.
- 天气很冷。 = The weather is cold.
Chinese adjectives can act a bit like verbs, so they do not need a separate to be in this kind of sentence.
Does 很 really mean very here?
Not always. In many basic adjective sentences, 很 is often just a grammatical linker and does not have a strong very meaning.
So 那个声音很可怕 often just means:
- That sound is scary.
rather than necessarily:
- That sound is very scary.
Why? Because saying simply:
- 那个声音可怕
can sound more contrastive or emphatic, as if you mean That sound is scary (as opposed to something else).
So learners are often taught:
- 很 + adjective = the normal neutral way to make a description.
If you really want to emphasize very, you could also use words like:
- 非常可怕 = very scary
- 特别可怕 = especially scary
- 真可怕 = really scary / how scary
What is 个 doing in 那个?