<p>很 has a particular auxiliary function which is that it makes adjectives (形容词) capable of being used as predicates. You use it, if there is no 不，真 or 太 as adverb before the adjective. 
In this case, 很 does not intensify the meaning and should usually not be translated. </p>

<p>E.g. </p>

<p>今天大家都很累。– Everybody is tired today.
[NOT 今天大家都累。]</p>

<p>我很忙。– I am busy. 
[NOT 我忙。]</p>

<p>你的问题很复杂。– Your question is complex.
[NOT 你的问题复杂。] </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-12T18:01:37.523Z
Well yes.  My question alludes to such usage.  But does 你的问题很复杂 suggest the question is not really complex, since if it were the speaker would say 真的复杂?
Colin McLarty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-12T18:14:37.040Z
I don't think this usage would by default indicate the opposite, i.e. to say the meaning of 你的问题很复杂。is  'Your question is complex.', it certainly does not mean 'Your questions is very complex.', and it also does not mean 'Your question isn't very complex.' If you want to express 'very complex, use 真的 before 很复杂, or if you want to say 'Your question is not very complex.', use 不是: 你的问题不是很复杂。
imrek
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-13T02:03:23.437Z
Everybody is tired today can also be translated to 今天大家都累了
User2012384
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-13T03:57:32.813Z
@User2012384 There is a slight variance in the meaning ('I am tired today' vs. 'I got tired today'). Besides, the predicate now has adjective + 了, so it's more than just a single adjective, that would require some modifier like 很 to be "predicate-capable".
imrek
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-15T11:52:56.987Z
You may want to see this slightly more linguistic discussion on [Language Log](http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=19478).
Michaelyus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-12T17:25:13.420Z
2015-06-12T17:49:16.883Z
2015-06-12T17:49:16.883Z
imrek
<p>I made mention of this on my answer to a different question here (which I'll repeat here for your benefit): <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/890/166">https://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/890/166</a></p>

<p>In general, adjectives in Chinese do not need to have 很 to be used predicatively (and thus 很 is not be considered a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copula_(linguistics)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">copula</a>); however the lack of 很 gives the implication of contrast by default. <em>Chinese: A Comprehensive Grammar</em> by Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington explains it in this way:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The presence of these degree adverbs and complements removes any implication of contrast that is latent in an unmarked predicative adjective.</p>
  
  <p>If somebody says:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>这本字典好。 <strong>zhèi běn zìdiǎn hǎo.</strong> This dictionary is good.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>the speaker must be understood to be implying that some other dictionary is not as good as this one. In fact the degree verb 很 <strong>hěn</strong> 'very', unless it is emphasised, does not really mean 'very', and its integration into adjectival predicative is more often than not to counteract an implication of contrast.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-17T01:48:55.797Z
2015-06-17T01:48:55.797Z
2017-04-13T12:48:06.093Z
Claw
<p>Beginning textbooks say 很好 means "very good," but soon add that 很 is usually just there to balance the phrase and does not really mean "very" in this context. S.Rhee's comment cites a much fuller explanation of this grammatical point.</p>

<p>Can 很好 be used, for example, to simply say a young student's behavior is "good enough" without saying "really good"?  For comparison I think of the French phrase "assez bon" which a dictionary will say means "good enough," but in fact it is a criticism meaning "hardly good at all."   </p>

<p>Actually grammarians have a concept of dubitative particle, for a word that makes a superficially affirmative sentence express doubt.  The French "assez" often does this.  I wonder if 很 does this in Chinese, by highlighting that you have not said 非常 or 真的 or other things you could just as easily say.</p>

<p>I do know that when people say 你普通话说得很好 it is a compliment, not an implied critique.  But of course when they say it to me it is merely kind, not true at all, and it never means 真的好.</p>

<p>Question <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/23/question-about-%E5%BE%88%E5%A5%BD">Question about &quot;很好&quot;</a> deals with this phrase but only in the context of a greeting and reply.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-12T20:49:09.983Z
when to use adjectives without any degree adverb is basic grammar,e.g.
＂实用现代汉语语法＂196页：性质形容词单独作谓语也有一定的限制，一般只能用于对照、比较的情况。例如：１。这件衣服短，那件衣服长。这是因为汉语的形容词本身包含比较的意思。上述句子中＂短＂的意思是＂比较短＂，＂长＂的意思是＂比较长＂。又如：２。这个孩子人小志气大。３。外边风大，快进来吧。４。甲：黑龙江冷还是新疆冷？乙：当然黑龙江冷。在比较句中的形容词也属于这种情况：５。我们班小刘比小张高。在没有对照、比较意味的句子里，只用一个性质形容词作谓语，会使人感觉句不完整。所以要在形容词前加上程度副词＂很＂。如＂今天很冷＂、＂他学习很好＂，这里的＂很＂表程度的意思很弱。在形容词前加上其他副词或其他成分也可以，如＂外边风特别大＂、＂他哥哥非常聪明＂。
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-18T12:48:35.163Z
Chinese also has a term for "good enough" that has negative connotations: 差不多 (chàbuduō).
hippietrail
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-18T18:40:01.470Z
@hippietrail Yes! To my regret I once used that when before I realized how negative it could seem.
Colin McLarty
<word-choice>
What is the nuance of 很好?
# What is the nuance of 很好?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-06-12)

Beginning textbooks say 很好 means "very good," but soon add that 很 is usually just there to balance the phrase and does not really mean "very" in this context. S.Rhee's comment cites a much fuller explanation of this grammatical point.

Can 很好 be used, for example, to simply say a young student's behavior is "good enough" without saying "really good"? For comparison I think of the French phrase "assez bon" which a dictionary will say means "good enough," but in fact it is a criticism meaning "hardly good at all."

Actually grammarians have a concept of dubitative particle, for a word that makes a superficially affirmative sentence express doubt. The French "assez" often does this. I wonder if 很 does this in Chinese, by highlighting that you have not said 非常 or 真的 or other things you could just as easily say.

I do know that when people say 你普通话说得很好 it is a compliment, not an implied critique. But of course when they say it to me it is merely kind, not true at all, and it never means 真的好.

Question [Question about "很好"](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/23/question-about-%E5%BE%88%E5%A5%BD) deals with this phrase but only in the context of a greeting and reply.

**Tags:** word-choice

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: when to use adjectives without any degree adverb is basic grammar,e.g. ＂实用现代汉语语法＂196页：性质形容词单独作谓语也有一定的限制，一般只能用于对照、比较的情况。例如：１。这件衣服短，那件衣服长。这是因为汉语的形容词本身包含比较的意思。上述句子中＂短＂的意思是＂比较短＂，＂长＂的意思是＂比较长＂。又如：２。这个孩子人小志气大。３。外边风大，快进来吧。４。甲：黑龙江冷还是新疆冷？乙：当然黑龙江冷。在比较句中的形容词也属于这种情况：５。我们班小刘比小张高。在没有对照、比较意味的句子里，只用一个性质形容词作谓语，会使人感觉句不完整。所以要在形容词前加上程度副词＂很＂。如＂今天很冷＂、＂他学习很好＂，这里的＂很＂表程度的意思很弱。在形容词前加上其他副词或其他成分也可以，如＂外边风特别大＂、＂他哥哥非常聪明＂。  
> **username_2**: Chinese also has a term for "good enough" that has negative connotations: 差不多 (chàbuduō).  
> **username_0**: @username_2 Yes! To my regret I once used that when before I realized how negative it could seem.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2015-06-17. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

I made mention of this on my answer to a different question here (which I'll repeat here for your benefit): <https://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/890/166>

In general, adjectives in Chinese do not need to have 很 to be used predicatively (and thus 很 is not be considered a [copula](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copula_(linguistics))); however the lack of 很 gives the implication of contrast by default. *Chinese: A Comprehensive Grammar* by Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington explains it in this way:

> The presence of these degree adverbs and complements removes any implication of contrast that is latent in an unmarked predicative adjective.
>
> If somebody says:
>
> > 这本字典好。 **zhèi běn zìdiǎn hǎo.** This dictionary is good.
>
> the speaker must be understood to be implying that some other dictionary is not as good as this one. In fact the degree verb 很 **hěn** 'very', unless it is emphasised, does not really mean 'very', and its integration into adjectival predicative is more often than not to counteract an implication of contrast.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-06-12. Score: 5

很 has a particular auxiliary function which is that it makes adjectives (形容词) capable of being used as predicates. You use it, if there is no 不，真 or 太 as adverb before the adjective.
In this case, 很 does not intensify the meaning and should usually not be translated.

E.g.

今天大家都很累。– Everybody is tired today.
[NOT 今天大家都累。]

我很忙。– I am busy.
[NOT 我忙。]

你的问题很复杂。– Your question is complex.
[NOT 你的问题复杂。]

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Well yes.  My question alludes to such usage.  But does 你的问题很复杂 suggest the question is not really complex, since if it were the speaker would say 真的复杂?  
> **username_3**: I don't think this usage would by default indicate the opposite, i.e. to say the meaning of 你的问题很复杂。is  'Your question is complex.', it certainly does not mean 'Your questions is very complex.', and it also does not mean 'Your question isn't very complex.' If you want to express 'very complex, use 真的 before 很复杂, or if you want to say 'Your question is not very complex.', use 不是: 你的问题不是很复杂。  
> **username_4**: Everybody is tired today can also be translated to 今天大家都累了  
> **username_3**: @username_4 There is a slight variance in the meaning ('I am tired today' vs. 'I got tired today'). Besides, the predicate now has adjective + 了, so it's more than just a single adjective, that would require some modifier like 很 to be "predicate-capable".  
> **username_5**: You may want to see this slightly more linguistic discussion on [Language Log](http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=19478).  

---

