很
very
hěn
What does 很 mean?
很 (hěn) is the most common Chinese intensifier, usually translated as 'very,' but its real job is grammatical, not emphatic. In Chinese, an adjective on its own often implies a comparison (我累 'I'm tired (in contrast to others)'), so native speakers add 很 to make the sentence sound complete and neutral: 我很累 simply means 'I'm tired,' not necessarily 'I'm VERY tired.' This is why textbooks teach 很 as a near-mandatory partner for predicate adjectives. When 很 is stressed in speech, it does function as 'very' — but the unstressed default is closer to 'is.' For real emphasis Chinese uses 非常, 特别, 真, or 太. 很 is one of the first 50 characters every learner meets.
Character breakdown
very; (default adverb before adjectives)
Memory hook: Think of 很 as the invisible 'is' that glues a Chinese subject to an adjective — 'I [is] tired' becomes 我很累.
Example sentences
我很好。
Wǒ hěn hǎo.
I'm fine.
neutral
她很漂亮。
Tā hěn piàoliang.
She is pretty.
neutral
今天很冷。
Jīntiān hěn lěng.
It's cold today.
spoken
我有很多朋友。
Wǒ yǒu hěn duō péngyou.
I have a lot of friends.
neutral
Common phrases with 很
Hear it in real Fluentide episodes
很 appears in 1 podcast episode at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
非常 is stronger — actually 'very / extremely.' Use it when you mean it. 很 is the default, often unstressed; 非常 carries real emphasis.
太 means 'too / overly' and usually pairs with 了 (太好了 'great!'). Stronger and more emotional than 很.
真 ('really') sounds more sincere or surprised: 真好吃 'really tasty!' 很 is calmer and more neutral.
Don't confuse 很 with
狠 (with the 'dog' radical 犭) means 'ruthless / fierce,' as in 狠心 'hard-hearted.' Same pinyin and tone, but a totally different character and meaning.
也 means 'also.' Beginners sometimes try 我也累 vs 我很累 — both are valid but different: 也 means 'also tired,' 很 just makes the sentence grammatically complete.