<p>很 is NOT similar to 真.</p>
<p>很 is used before adj or adv to form a compounded adj or adv phrase, 很 is at the phrase level (inner level). But 真 modifies the whole predicate (ourter level).</p>
<p>We can say:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>中国的风景不错。</p>
<p>中国的风景很不错。 很 modifies 不错.</p>
<p>中国的风景真(的)不错. 真 modifies the whole predicate (不错).</p>
<p>中国的风景真(的)很不错. 真 modifies the whole predicate (很不错).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But we can't say:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(NO)中国的风景很真不错. It is wrong because 真 can't be used at the inner level.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>We can say:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>中国的风景不错。</p>
<p>中国的风景都不错。 都 modifies 不错. inner level.</p>
<p>中国的风景真(的)都不错. 真 modifies the whole predicate (都不错).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But we can't say:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(NO)中国的风景都真不错. It is wrong because 真 can't be used at the inner level.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Please Note: sometimes 真 is also used at the inner level.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他跳得真高. 真 modifies 高.</p>
<p>他真跳得高. 真 modifies the whole predicate (跳得高).</p>
<p>他跳得很高. 很 modifies 高.</p>
<p>他真跳得很高. 真 modifies the whole predicate (跳得很高).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I guess, when only 真 appears, it can be at inner level or outer level. But if there are 2 or more modifiers, then 真 should be at outer level.</p>
<p><strong>Another way to explain this:</strong></p>
<p>很, 都 and 真 work in different aspects.</p>
<p>很 describes to &quot;what extent&quot; the following adj or adv imply. 很 corresponds to &quot;very&quot;, or &quot;very much&quot;.</p>
<p>都 describes the scope the following adj or adv imply. 都 corresponds to &quot;both&quot;, or &quot;all&quot;.</p>
<p>真 emphasizes the following adj or adv.  都 corresponds to &quot;really&quot;.</p>
<p>So the order of them is: 真, 都, 很.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>中国的风景不错.</p>
<p>中国的风景很不错.</p>
<p>中国的风景都不错.</p>
<p>中国的风景都很不错.</p>
<hr />
<p>中国的风景真不错.</p>
<p>中国的风景真很不错.</p>
<p>中国的风景真都不错.</p>
<p>中国的风景真都很不错.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-14T03:51:00.013Z
One suggestion - if a sentence is grammatically incorrect, use the asterix (*) to indicate it instead of inventing your own notation.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-14T03:57:32.047Z
他真跳得高 sounds extremely colloquial. I personally wouldn't use it as it sounds a little strange to me.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-13T05:50:08.653Z
2013-05-14T17:10:55.397Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
孤影萍踪
<blockquote>
  <p>中国的风景都真不错。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>A native speaker told me that the above sentence was wrong, so the corrected version should be:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>中国的风景真(的)都不错。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Is the first sentence's grammar wrong or it just sounds unnatural? Why 都 goes after 真? I was thinking of sentences like 他们都很聪明, where 都 appears before 很 (and because 很 is similar to 真).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-15T02:06:02.850Z
I'm not convinced either form is grammatically incorrect. They may just sound unnatural because usually you don't use multiple adverbs like this. You are correct that 很 is similar to 真, with the major difference that 真 cannot be used as a word qualifying a noun - 中国有真不错的风景 is incorrect. Source: http://www.ntnu.edu.tw/tcsl/cltp/Downloads/0319_teaching%20grammar/group%206/grammar6.doc
congusbongus
<grammar><adverbs>
Why is 真都不错 used here instead of 都真不错?
# Why is 真都不错 used here instead of 都真不错?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-05-13)

> 中国的风景都真不错。

A native speaker told me that the above sentence was wrong, so the corrected version should be:

> 中国的风景真(的)都不错。

Is the first sentence's grammar wrong or it just sounds unnatural? Why 都 goes after 真? I was thinking of sentences like 他们都很聪明, where 都 appears before 很 (and because 很 is similar to 真).

**Tags:** grammar, adverbs

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'm not convinced either form is grammatically incorrect. They may just sound unnatural because usually you don't use multiple adverbs like this. You are correct that 很 is similar to 真, with the major difference that 真 cannot be used as a word qualifying a noun - 中国有真不错的风景 is incorrect. Source: http://www.ntnu.edu.tw/tcsl/cltp/Downloads/0319_teaching%20grammar/group%206/grammar6.doc  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2013-05-13. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

很 is NOT similar to 真.

很 is used before adj or adv to form a compounded adj or adv phrase, 很 is at the phrase level (inner level). But 真 modifies the whole predicate (ourter level).

We can say:

> 中国的风景不错。
>
> 中国的风景很不错。 很 modifies 不错.
>
> 中国的风景真(的)不错. 真 modifies the whole predicate (不错).
>
> 中国的风景真(的)很不错. 真 modifies the whole predicate (很不错).

But we can't say:

> (NO)中国的风景很真不错. It is wrong because 真 can't be used at the inner level.

We can say:

> 中国的风景不错。
>
> 中国的风景都不错。 都 modifies 不错. inner level.
>
> 中国的风景真(的)都不错. 真 modifies the whole predicate (都不错).

But we can't say:

> (NO)中国的风景都真不错. It is wrong because 真 can't be used at the inner level.

Please Note: sometimes 真 is also used at the inner level.

> 他跳得真高. 真 modifies 高.
>
> 他真跳得高. 真 modifies the whole predicate (跳得高).
>
> 他跳得很高. 很 modifies 高.
>
> 他真跳得很高. 真 modifies the whole predicate (跳得很高).

I guess, when only 真 appears, it can be at inner level or outer level. But if there are 2 or more modifiers, then 真 should be at outer level.

**Another way to explain this:**

很, 都 and 真 work in different aspects.

很 describes to "what extent" the following adj or adv imply. 很 corresponds to "very", or "very much".

都 describes the scope the following adj or adv imply. 都 corresponds to "both", or "all".

真 emphasizes the following adj or adv. 都 corresponds to "really".

So the order of them is: 真, 都, 很.

> 中国的风景不错.
>
> 中国的风景很不错.
>
> 中国的风景都不错.
>
> 中国的风景都很不错.
>
> ---
>
> 中国的风景真不错.
>
> 中国的风景真很不错.
>
> 中国的风景真都不错.
>
> 中国的风景真都很不错.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: One suggestion - if a sentence is grammatically incorrect, use the asterix (*) to indicate it instead of inventing your own notation.  
> **username_3**: 他真跳得高 sounds extremely colloquial. I personally wouldn't use it as it sounds a little strange to me.  

---

