<p>極 = <strong>extremely</strong> </p>

<p>很 = <strong>very</strong> /quite</p>

<p>挻 = <strong>quite</strong>/ very (colloquial)</p>

<p>甚 = <strong>quite</strong>/ very</p>

<p>頗 = quite/ considerably </p>

<p><em>挻 is mostly a colloquial term</em></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>We can place all these adverb directly before an adjective</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Examples:</p>

<p>極強 (extremely strong); 很強 (very strong) ; 挻強 (quite strong); 甚強 (quite strong) </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>we need to add the adjective marker '的' to all these [adverb + adjective] structures before a noun</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Examples:</p>

<p>極強的對手 (extremely strong opponent); 很強的對手 (very strong opponent) ; 挻強的對手 (very strong opponent); 甚強的對手 (very strong opponent)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>If the noun is placed before these [adverb + adjective] structures, we don't need the adjective marker '的' (<em>except for 挻</em>)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Examples:</p>

<p>對手極強 (opponent is extremely strong ); 對手很強 (opponent is very strong ) ; 對手甚強 (opponent is quite strong)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Even the noun is placed before 挻強, we still need to use the adjective marker '的' after it</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Example: 對手挻強的 (opponent is quite strong)</p>

<p><em>We don't usually say 對手挻強</em></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>compound words: 極為; 很是; 甚為; 頗為, (挻 doesn't have one)</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-23T19:09:03.483Z
2018-12-23T22:59:57.797Z
2018-12-23T22:59:57.797Z
Tang Ho
<p>Yes, both of them are referring to "very". But when you use them, remember there is usually an extra "的" after the "挺" + adjective pair. 
eg: "挺好的" and "很好" both mean "pretty good, pretty fair";
"他挺好的" and "他很好" are both correct.  </p>

<p>Also it seems to me that "很" is stronger than "挺". So "很好" is even better than "挺好的".</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-23T09:26:05.020Z
2018-12-23T09:26:05.020Z
chandler
<p>＂实用汉语近义虚词 <strong>＂很（副）／颇（副）／挺（副）</strong>  <strong>［相同］</strong> 都是副词，表示程度比较高，修饰形容词或动词短语。＂很＂口语和书面语都用，＂颇＂用于书面语，＂挺＂多用于口语。句末无语气词＂的＂时，＂很、颇、挺＂有时可以互换：（１）他的话很有道理。（颇✓挺✓）（２）没想到，他对我的这篇论文很感兴趣。（颇✓挺✓）（３）小区离生态公园挺近，交通也很方便。（很✓颇✓）（４）他一个人带着孩子，挺不容易。（很✓颇✓）（５）大家对这件事意见颇多。（很✓挺✓）（６）读了这本书，我颇受启发。（很✓挺✓）<strong>［不同］</strong>  <strong>１。</strong>＂挺＂修饰的词语后面可以有＂的＂，＂很、颇＂修饰的词语后面不能有＂的＂：（１）这本书写得挺有意思的，你有空看看吧。（很✗颇✗）（２）瞧这姐妹俩，挺亲热的。（很✗颇✗）（３）老是麻烦你们，挺不好意思的。（很✗颇✗）（４）你这只小手挺脏的，快去洗洗。（很✗颇✗）（５）儿子懂事了，妈妈挺高兴的。（很✗颇✗）（６）马云飞挺重感情，你应该相信他。（很✗颇✗）<strong>２。</strong>＂很、颇＂可以跟＂有点、有些＂连用，＂挺＂不能：（１）事情闹成这样，张明很有点后悔。（颇✓挺✗）（２）没打好比赛，她心里很有些难过。（颇✓挺✗）                                        </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-23T11:02:27.497Z
2018-12-23T11:02:27.497Z
user6065
<p>To me, 很 is more like 'quite', 挺 like 'fairly'. E.g. 很好： quite good; 挺好： fairly good;</p>
<p>'very' would be '非常'. E.g. 非常好： very good.</p>
<p>Compare these three pairs:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你人挺好 -- you are fairly nice.</p>
<p>你人很好 -- you are quite nice.</p>
<p>你人非常好 -- you are very nice.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>No doubt I would like to hear most: 你人非常好 -- you are very nice. Compare the first two, I definitely prefer to hear: 你人很好 -- you are quite nice.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-23T18:21:07.193Z
很= very; 挺 = quite; 頗= quite/ fairly
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-24T00:53:32.563Z
@TangHo I would say "very good" > 很好 and "quite good" is pretty close to 很好, which is < "very good". "very good" is close to 非常好 in Chinese.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-23T11:51:07.490Z
2018-12-24T01:55:39.627Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
dan
<p>挺 is most used in casual conversations while 很 is used mostly in formal writings. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-23T13:52:23.250Z
2018-12-23T13:52:23.250Z
stonelia
<p>As far as I know, both means “very”. I would like to know if there are any further differences that exist between them</p>

<grammar><meaning><word-choice><mandarin>
Difference between 很 and 挺
# Difference between 很 and 挺

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-12-23)

As far as I know, both means “very”. I would like to know if there are any further differences that exist between them

**Tags:** grammar, meaning, word-choice, mandarin


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## 5 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-12-23. Score: 3

極 = **extremely**

很 = **very** /quite

挻 = **quite**/ very (colloquial)

甚 = **quite**/ very

頗 = quite/ considerably

*挻 is mostly a colloquial term*

> We can place all these adverb directly before an adjective

Examples:

極強 (extremely strong); 很強 (very strong) ; 挻強 (quite strong); 甚強 (quite strong)

> we need to add the adjective marker '的' to all these [adverb + adjective] structures before a noun

Examples:

極強的對手 (extremely strong opponent); 很強的對手 (very strong opponent) ; 挻強的對手 (very strong opponent); 甚強的對手 (very strong opponent)

> If the noun is placed before these [adverb + adjective] structures, we don't need the adjective marker '的' (*except for 挻*)

Examples:

對手極強 (opponent is extremely strong ); 對手很強 (opponent is very strong ) ; 對手甚強 (opponent is quite strong)

> Even the noun is placed before 挻強, we still need to use the adjective marker '的' after it

Example: 對手挻強的 (opponent is quite strong)

*We don't usually say 對手挻強*

> compound words: 極為; 很是; 甚為; 頗為, (挻 doesn't have one)


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### Answer by username_2 on 2018-12-23. Score: 2

Yes, both of them are referring to "very". But when you use them, remember there is usually an extra "的" after the "挺" + adjective pair.
eg: "挺好的" and "很好" both mean "pretty good, pretty fair";
"他挺好的" and "他很好" are both correct.

Also it seems to me that "很" is stronger than "挺". So "很好" is even better than "挺好的".


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### Answer by username_3 on 2018-12-23. Score: 2

＂实用汉语近义虚词 **＂很（副）／颇（副）／挺（副）** **［相同］** 都是副词，表示程度比较高，修饰形容词或动词短语。＂很＂口语和书面语都用，＂颇＂用于书面语，＂挺＂多用于口语。句末无语气词＂的＂时，＂很、颇、挺＂有时可以互换：（１）他的话很有道理。（颇✓挺✓）（２）没想到，他对我的这篇论文很感兴趣。（颇✓挺✓）（３）小区离生态公园挺近，交通也很方便。（很✓颇✓）（４）他一个人带着孩子，挺不容易。（很✓颇✓）（５）大家对这件事意见颇多。（很✓挺✓）（６）读了这本书，我颇受启发。（很✓挺✓）**［不同］** **１。**＂挺＂修饰的词语后面可以有＂的＂，＂很、颇＂修饰的词语后面不能有＂的＂：（１）这本书写得挺有意思的，你有空看看吧。（很✗颇✗）（２）瞧这姐妹俩，挺亲热的。（很✗颇✗）（３）老是麻烦你们，挺不好意思的。（很✗颇✗）（４）你这只小手挺脏的，快去洗洗。（很✗颇✗）（５）儿子懂事了，妈妈挺高兴的。（很✗颇✗）（６）马云飞挺重感情，你应该相信他。（很✗颇✗）**２。**＂很、颇＂可以跟＂有点、有些＂连用，＂挺＂不能：（１）事情闹成这样，张明很有点后悔。（颇✓挺✗）（２）没打好比赛，她心里很有些难过。（颇✓挺✗）


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### Answer by username_4 on 2018-12-23. Score: 1

To me, 很 is more like 'quite', 挺 like 'fairly'. E.g. 很好： quite good; 挺好： fairly good;

'very' would be '非常'. E.g. 非常好： very good.

Compare these three pairs:

> 你人挺好 -- you are fairly nice.
>
> 你人很好 -- you are quite nice.
>
> 你人非常好 -- you are very nice.

No doubt I would like to hear most: 你人非常好 -- you are very nice. Compare the first two, I definitely prefer to hear: 你人很好 -- you are quite nice.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 很= very; 挺 = quite; 頗= quite/ fairly  
> **username_4**: @username_1 I would say "very good" > 很好 and "quite good" is pretty close to 很好, which is < "very good". "very good" is close to 非常好 in Chinese.  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2018-12-23. Score: 1

挺 is most used in casual conversations while 很 is used mostly in formal writings.


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