Learn Hardcore Chinese: zhèli de huánjìng hěn ānjìng.

Yes, here 的 links 这里 (here) and 环境 (environment) to show a relationship, similar to “the environment of this place / the environment here”.

这里 = here
环境 = environment
这里的环境 = the environment (that belongs to / is associated with) here

This is the attributive 的, used to connect a modifier to a noun:

我的书 – my book
中国的文化 – Chinese culture
这里的环境 – the environment here

So you can think of X + 的 + noun ≈ X’s / X’s … / the … of X.

Could I say 这里环境很安静 without 的?

In everyday speech, some native speakers might drop 的 in very casual contexts, but 这里的环境很安静 is the standard and correct form.

For learners, you should keep the 的:

✅ 这里的环境很安静。 (natural, standard)
❌ 这里环境很安静。 (non-standard for you; can sound clipped or dialectal)

So: use 的 after 这里 when it directly modifies a noun like 环境.

What is the role of 很 (hěn) here? Does it always mean “very”?

In sentences like this, 很 has two roles:

Grammatical “link” before adjectives
In Chinese, you usually cannot say:
- ❌ 这里的环境安静。
That sounds unnatural because there is nothing connecting 环境 and 安静.
So we add 很:
- ✅ 这里的环境很安静。
Degree marker (often weak)
Literally, 很 means “very”, but in this common pattern (noun + 很 + adjective), it is often not as strong as English very. It can just mean:
- “The environment here is quiet” (neutral statement)
- Or slightly: “The environment here is quite/very quiet.”

If you want to be strongly emphatic, you can use:

非常安静 – extremely / very quiet
特别安静 – especially quiet

Can I just say 这里很安静? What’s the difference from 这里的环境很安静?

Yes, 这里很安静 is completely correct and very common.

这里很安静。
→ “It’s quiet here.” (general feeling of the place)
这里的环境很安静。
→ “The environment here is quiet.”
Emphasizes the surroundings / atmosphere / setting, for example when comparing different locations or talking more formally.

So 这里很安静 is simpler and more conversational; 这里的环境很安静 sounds a bit more descriptive or formal.

What exactly does 环境 (huánjìng) mean here? Is it just “environment” in the ecological sense?

环境 is broader than just “ecological environment.” It can mean:

Physical surroundings
- Noise level, cleanliness, layout, etc.
  That’s the meaning in this sentence.
Atmosphere / setting / conditions
- 工作环境 – work environment (including relationships, company culture)
- 学习环境 – study environment

So here, 环境很安静 = “The surroundings / atmosphere here are quiet.” Not about pollution or nature, but about how the place feels.

What is the difference between 这里 (zhèli) and 这儿 (zhèr)?

Both mean “here” and are interchangeable in meaning.

这里 is more common in writing and is neutral.
这儿 is very common in spoken Mandarin, especially in northern China (e.g., Beijing speech).

Examples:

这里很安静。
这儿很安静。

Both are fine. As a learner, you can safely use 这里 everywhere; if you want to sound more colloquial in northern-style Mandarin, you can also use 这儿.

Why is there no verb like “to be” (是 shì) before 安静?

In Chinese, when you describe a noun + adjective, you usually:

Do not use 是,
Use (很) + adjective instead.

So:

English: “The environment here is quiet.”
Chinese: 这里的环境很安静。 (no 是)

General pattern:

(Subject) + 很 + adjective
- 他很高。 – He is tall.
- 天气很冷。 – The weather is cold.
- 这里的环境很安静。 – The environment here is quiet.

You only use 是 mainly before nouns (or noun-like phrases), e.g.:

他是老师。 – He is a teacher.
这里是图书馆。 – This is the library.

Is 安静 (ānjìng) an adjective or a verb? Can it also mean “to be quiet”?

安静 is primarily an adjective meaning quiet / peaceful.

环境很安静。 – The environment is quiet.

It can also be used as a verb meaning to become quiet / to keep quiet:

请安静！ – Please be quiet!
教室里安静下来。 – The classroom became quiet.

In your sentence, 安静 is an adjective describing 环境.

Why is the order 这里的环境很安静 and not something like 环境这里很安静?

Chinese word order here follows this logic:

Place / possessor / modifier comes before the noun:
- 这里的环境 – the environment here
- 学校的图书馆 – the school’s library
Then you describe it with 很 + adjective:
- 这里的环境很安静。 – (Here’s environment) very quiet.

So the pattern is:

[Modifier] + 的 + Noun + 很 + Adjective

Putting 这里 after 环境 (e.g., 环境这里很安静) breaks that structure and sounds ungrammatical.

Are there any common similar sentences I can model from this one?

Yes, you can replace 这里 or 环境 / 安静 to make many useful sentences:

这里的天气很热。 – The weather here is hot.
这里的空气很好。 – The air here is very good.
这里的服务很差。 – The service here is bad.
这个城市的环境很安静。 – The environment in this city is quiet.
图书馆的环境很安静。 – The environment in the library is quiet.

All follow the same pattern:

[Place] + 的 + [noun] + 很 + [adjective].