<p>In southern China (at least in the <code>浙江/江苏/上海</code> area I've been in), <code>好</code> is a perfectly acceptable substitute for 很 in <strong>almost all circumstances</strong>. For example:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你的脸好红哦!</p>
<p>他好坏。</p>
<p>我好喜欢你。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There isn't really a semantic difference, except that <code>好</code> is more informal. Also, there are a few circumstances where it would be confusing to use <code>好</code> instead of <code>很</code>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-09-25T04:25:49.093Z
Probably an influence of Cantonese (and Guangdong-flavored Mandarin) where 好 is used, not 很, to say "very".
dda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-09-24T17:43:19.837Z
2012-09-24T17:43:19.837Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Stumpy Joe Pete
<blockquote>
  <p>What's the difference between those sentences? Both seems to mean "I'm tired".</p>
</blockquote>

<p>They do both mean 'I'm more tired than 我累了' but not necessarily as strong as English's <em>very</em>.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>我很累。</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>I'm [<strong>very</strong>] tired.</p>

<p>Similar to <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%A0%BB" rel="nofollow noreferrer">蠻</a>, it originally referred to extreme or inhuman behavior but muted itself down into an intensifier. Cf. 'damned tired', (<em>NE US</em>) 'wicked tired', or (<em>UK</em>) 'bloody tired', 'sodding tired'.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>我好累。</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>I'm [<strong>well</strong>] tired.<br>I'm [<strong>good and</strong>] tired.</p>

<p>Just like in English, this is not necessarily (but usually somewhat) stronger than 'very'; it's more informal; and it's somewhat dialectical, in China's case being associated with the southeast and Taiwan and the kids who follow their trends.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>我太累了。</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>I'm <strong>too</strong> tired.<br>I'm <strong>extremely</strong> tired.</p>

<p>Unlike English, these senses can't really be separated and just have to be worked out from context. In any case, it's stronger than either 'very' or 'good and ~'.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>我累死了。</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>I'm <strong>utterly exhausted</strong>.<br>I'm <strong>knackered</strong>. (<em>UK</em>)<br>I'm <strong>so</strong> tired <strong>that I'm about to die</strong>.</p>

<p>Like it says on the box: the only way it gets worse than this involves losing your ability to whinge at the rest of us altogether.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-19T14:42:27.410Z
2018-06-19T14:42:27.410Z
lly
<p>好 is more describing the feeling of your heart.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我做了那麼多，都沒用。我好累。</p>
  
  <p>I did so much. But nothing is useful. I feel <strong>really</strong> tired. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>很 is just describing you're physically tired.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我跑了10公里。我很累了。</p>
  
  <p>I've run for 10km. I'm <strong>very</strong> tired.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In most cases, 『好』 is more than 『很』. Just like the example above.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-09-23T09:31:55.500Z
Worth noting 好累 (and 好想, 好喜欢, etc.) are idioms originated in southern China. They are becoming more and more common in northern China by the influence of internet, books and Hongkong television, but not yet accepted by everyone.
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-09-22T20:50:12.307Z
2012-09-22T20:50:12.307Z
Mike Manilone
<blockquote>
<p>我很累。</p>
<p>我好累。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What's the difference between those sentences? Both seems to mean &quot;I'm tired&quot;.</p>

<expressions><adverbs><adjectives>
Difference between 好累 and 很累
# Difference between 好累 and 很累

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-09-22)

> 我很累。
>
> 我好累。

What's the difference between those sentences? Both seems to mean "I'm tired".

**Tags:** expressions, adverbs, adjectives


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2012-09-22. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

好 is more describing the feeling of your heart.

> 我做了那麼多，都沒用。我好累。
>
> I did so much. But nothing is useful. I feel **really** tired.

很 is just describing you're physically tired.

> 我跑了10公里。我很累了。
>
> I've run for 10km. I'm **very** tired.

In most cases, 『好』 is more than 『很』. Just like the example above.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Worth noting 好累 (and 好想, 好喜欢, etc.) are idioms originated in southern China. They are becoming more and more common in northern China by the influence of internet, books and Hongkong television, but not yet accepted by everyone.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-09-24. Score: 3

In southern China (at least in the `浙江/江苏/上海` area I've been in), `好` is a perfectly acceptable substitute for 很 in **almost all circumstances**. For example:

> 你的脸好红哦!
>
> 他好坏。
>
> 我好喜欢你。

There isn't really a semantic difference, except that `好` is more informal. Also, there are a few circumstances where it would be confusing to use `好` instead of `很`.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Probably an influence of Cantonese (and Guangdong-flavored Mandarin) where 好 is used, not 很, to say "very".  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-06-19. Score: 0

> What's the difference between those sentences? Both seems to mean "I'm tired".

They do both mean 'I'm more tired than 我累了' but not necessarily as strong as English's *very*.

> **我很累。**

I'm [**very**] tired.

Similar to [蠻](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%A0%BB), it originally referred to extreme or inhuman behavior but muted itself down into an intensifier. Cf. 'damned tired', (*NE US*) 'wicked tired', or (*UK*) 'bloody tired', 'sodding tired'.

> **我好累。**

I'm [**well**] tired.  
I'm [**good and**] tired.

Just like in English, this is not necessarily (but usually somewhat) stronger than 'very'; it's more informal; and it's somewhat dialectical, in China's case being associated with the southeast and Taiwan and the kids who follow their trends.

> **我太累了。**

I'm **too** tired.  
I'm **extremely** tired.

Unlike English, these senses can't really be separated and just have to be worked out from context. In any case, it's stronger than either 'very' or 'good and ~'.

> **我累死了。**

I'm **utterly exhausted**.  
I'm **knackered**. (*UK*)  
I'm **so** tired **that I'm about to die**.

Like it says on the box: the only way it gets worse than this involves losing your ability to whinge at the rest of us altogether.


---

