<p>These two phrases both are &quot;comments&quot; on the special trait of something or somebody. The difference lies in that the former is a plain, standalone, comment on a single object, and the latter is an emphatic comment on a single object among many (implies comparison).</p>
<p>For example, a 6' tall girl in a room full of 5' tall girls, you will point at her and say to your companion: &quot;那個女孩,(她)非常高&quot; (那個女孩 = 她). You can also say &quot;她是非常高的&quot; with &quot;在這些女孩中(among the girls)&quot; as the hidden message (在這些女孩中,她是非常高的).</p>
<p>When the same girl passes you on the street, you can repeat the former comment &quot;她非常高&quot;, but here, the latter phase - &quot;她是非常高的&quot; does not sound right, unless rephrase it as &quot;在人群中,她是非常高的&quot;, with 是非常(很)...的 emphasizing the special trait (高) of her.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-22T15:34:42.490Z
2022-06-22T15:56:30.737Z
2022-06-22T15:56:30.737Z
r13
<p>这两个没有本质区别。只是北方人习惯用前一种，南方人喜欢用后一种。我在上海的时候，就发现他们很喜欢用第二种句式。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-22T14:06:46.813Z
2022-06-22T14:06:46.813Z
George Y
<p>&quot;是&quot; usually simply applies emphasis on how tall the person is.</p>
<p>This &quot;是 ... 的&quot; construction also places emphasis.</p>
<p><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/The_%22shi..._de%22_construction_for_emphasizing_details" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Link</a></p>

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2022-06-22T10:34:22.110Z
Thanks DialFrost. Just checking I've understood your answer. The link you've given is about a different construction (for instance 我 (是) 走 来 的) where 的 is used for emphasising information (usually noun phrases if I've understood correctly). Are you saying that the same also happens with adjectives: that using the 的 construction places more emphasis than the intensifier one? Does that mean my examples are roughly equivalent to "He is very tall" versus "How very tall he is"?
ATJ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-22T10:35:55.687Z
Actually, 他非常高 is not a complete clause or sentence, so I'm not sure, but 他是非常高的 means "he is very tall" @ATJ
DialFrost
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-22T12:24:47.530Z
他非常高 isn't a complete sentence? I thought 他很高 is a complete sentence; is there something different about 非常? How would you make it a complete sentence?
ATJ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-22T12:25:54.217Z
Oh sorry I messed that up, both your sentences mean "he is very tall"
DialFrost
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-22T13:27:59.877Z
Can anyone find the structure of 是....的 in pre-1900 text? I don't remember seeing such a structure in pre-1900 novels. I believe this is just a lousy translation, e.g. she is beautiful -> 她是美麗的。
joehua
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-27T06:42:14.687Z
@ATJ you can accept and upvote anyone's answer if you feel it answers your question :)
DialFrost
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-22T08:25:14.353Z
2022-06-22T08:25:14.353Z
DialFrost
<p>What is the difference in connotation between <strong>intensifier + adjective</strong> and <strong>是 + adjective + 的</strong>?</p>
<p>For instance, what would the difference be between</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他非常高</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他是非常高的</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm aware that there are similar questions on the site (e.g. <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/31344/shi-hen-for-adjective-noun-when-discussing-facts-or-perceived-facts">here</a>, <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/21848/using-sh%C3%AC-for-noun-adjective-noun">here</a>, <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/21853/using-shi4-for-noun-and-adjective-exceptional-rules">here</a>), but they don't seem to answer this question.</p>

<grammar><difference>
difference in connotation between intensifier + adjective and 是 + adjective + 的
# difference in connotation between intensifier + adjective and 是 + adjective + 的

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-06-22)

What is the difference in connotation between **intensifier + adjective** and **是 + adjective + 的**?

For instance, what would the difference be between

> 他非常高

and

> 他是非常高的

I'm aware that there are similar questions on the site (e.g. [here](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/31344/shi-hen-for-adjective-noun-when-discussing-facts-or-perceived-facts), [here](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/21848/using-sh%C3%AC-for-noun-adjective-noun), [here](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/21853/using-shi4-for-noun-and-adjective-exceptional-rules)), but they don't seem to answer this question.

**Tags:** grammar, difference


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-06-22. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

These two phrases both are "comments" on the special trait of something or somebody. The difference lies in that the former is a plain, standalone, comment on a single object, and the latter is an emphatic comment on a single object among many (implies comparison).

For example, a 6' tall girl in a room full of 5' tall girls, you will point at her and say to your companion: "那個女孩,(她)非常高" (那個女孩 = 她). You can also say "她是非常高的" with "在這些女孩中(among the girls)" as the hidden message (在這些女孩中,她是非常高的).

When the same girl passes you on the street, you can repeat the former comment "她非常高", but here, the latter phase - "她是非常高的" does not sound right, unless rephrase it as "在人群中,她是非常高的", with 是非常(很)...的 emphasizing the special trait (高) of her.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-06-22. Score: 0

这两个没有本质区别。只是北方人习惯用前一种，南方人喜欢用后一种。我在上海的时候，就发现他们很喜欢用第二种句式。


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### Answer by username_3 on 2022-06-22. Score: 0

"是" usually simply applies emphasis on how tall the person is.

This "是 ... 的" construction also places emphasis.

[Link](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/The_%22shi..._de%22_construction_for_emphasizing_details)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks username_3. Just checking I've understood your answer. The link you've given is about a different construction (for instance 我 (是) 走 来 的) where 的 is used for emphasising information (usually noun phrases if I've understood correctly). Are you saying that the same also happens with adjectives: that using the 的 construction places more emphasis than the intensifier one? Does that mean my examples are roughly equivalent to "He is very tall" versus "How very tall he is"?  
> **username_3**: Actually, 他非常高 is not a complete clause or sentence, so I'm not sure, but 他是非常高的 means "he is very tall" @username_0  
> **username_0**: 他非常高 isn't a complete sentence? I thought 他很高 is a complete sentence; is there something different about 非常? How would you make it a complete sentence?  
> **username_3**: Oh sorry I messed that up, both your sentences mean "he is very tall"  
> **username_4**: Can anyone find the structure of 是....的 in pre-1900 text? I don't remember seeing such a structure in pre-1900 novels. I believe this is just a lousy translation, e.g. she is beautiful -> 她是美麗的。  
> **username_3**: @username_0 you can accept and upvote anyone's answer if you feel it answers your question :)  

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