<p>Nope. Generally 最 should mean "-est" or "most" — like 最大 = biggest, 最好 = best, 最美 = the most beautiful.</p>

<p>For example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>最漂亮 = the most beautiful</p>
  
  <p>很漂亮 = very beautiful</p>
</blockquote>

<p>While...</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>*她最很漂亮. = She is most very beautiful.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>There is actually no such use in Chinese. You use either 最 or 很 to modify adjectives.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-27T05:59:36.217Z
2012-03-01T11:59:57.403Z
2012-03-01T11:59:57.403Z
Dante WWWW
<p>最 is "most", 很 is "very", and 真 is "truly/really".</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我真想去纽约。I really want to go to New York.</p>
  
  <p>和巴黎、米兰相比，我最喜欢纽约。Compared with Paris and Milan, New York is my favorite
  city.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Another example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>她很漂亮。She is very pretty.</p>
  
  <p>她真的很漂亮。She is so pretty!</p>
  
  <p>她最漂亮。She is the prettiest.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Regarding your second question - 这是很好 is incorrect. "This is okay" could be</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>这个还能将就。/ 这个还凑合。This is barely tolerable.</p>
  
  <p>这个还可以。This is acceptable.</p>
  
  <p>这个蛮好的。/ 这个（还）不错。 This is good.</p>
  
  <p>这个挺好。This is pretty good.</p>
  
  <p>这个很好。This is very good.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I am not sure if the English translation makes sense - the examples show an increasing level of approval.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-18T14:40:42.583Z
2012-03-18T14:48:41.357Z
2012-03-18T14:48:41.357Z
gonnastop
<p>Both are adv. 最 is used in superlative and 真 as an intensifier of adj.
I think the example given above 我最喜欢去组约 should be translated by 'I like visiting NY the best (than the other places)' and 'I'd really like to go to New York.' means 我很*<em>想要</em>*喜欢去，which signifies a non realized event in the future with the will of person named by the subject 'I'.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-09T15:31:59.840Z
2012-03-09T15:31:59.840Z
Lummersem
<p>我最喜欢纽约。-I like New York the most. 
我最喜欢去纽约。-New York is my favourite place.</p>

<p>is there a way of saying "This is okay" rather than "这是很好" without the use of 很?
This is okay, we may say 这很好 without 是. But we seldom use it without 很.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-30T14:16:08.337Z
2012-03-30T14:16:08.337Z
Jane
<p>很 means very. 最 means truly, really. I was wondering in which context they would be most appropriate.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我最喜欢去组约。- I'd really like to go to New York. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>So 最 can be used as a descriptor in this instance but not 很?</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>她最很漂亮。- She is very pretty. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>So you can't do this? Is the 很 redundant? You'd have to say 她最漂亮, right?</p>

<p>Furthermore, is there a way of saying "This is okay" rather than "这是很好" without the use of 很?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-27T08:09:00.050Z
Perhaps the questioner was confusing 真 and 最. The former does mean truly, really.
Dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-27T23:01:07.137Z
The first character in New York is 纽 (niu3), not 组 (zu3).
jogloran
<word-choice><grammar><meaning-in-context>
很 and 最 - Questions of The Context
# 很 and 最 - Questions of The Context

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-02-27)

很 means very. 最 means truly, really. I was wondering in which context they would be most appropriate.

> 我最喜欢去组约。- I'd really like to go to New York.

So 最 can be used as a descriptor in this instance but not 很?

> 她最很漂亮。- She is very pretty.

So you can't do this? Is the 很 redundant? You'd have to say 她最漂亮, right?

Furthermore, is there a way of saying "This is okay" rather than "这是很好" without the use of 很?

**Tags:** word-choice, grammar, meaning-in-context

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Perhaps the questioner was confusing 真 and 最. The former does mean truly, really.  
> **username_2**: The first character in New York is 纽 (niu3), not 组 (zu3).  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-02-27. Score: 5

Nope. Generally 最 should mean "-est" or "most" — like 最大 = biggest, 最好 = best, 最美 = the most beautiful.

For example:

> 最漂亮 = the most beautiful
>
> 很漂亮 = very beautiful

While...

> \*她最很漂亮. = She is most very beautiful.

There is actually no such use in Chinese. You use either 最 or 很 to modify adjectives.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2012-03-18. Score: 1

最 is "most", 很 is "very", and 真 is "truly/really".

> 我真想去纽约。I really want to go to New York.
>
> 和巴黎、米兰相比，我最喜欢纽约。Compared with Paris and Milan, New York is my favorite
> city.

Another example:

> 她很漂亮。She is very pretty.
>
> 她真的很漂亮。She is so pretty!
>
> 她最漂亮。She is the prettiest.

Regarding your second question - 这是很好 is incorrect. "This is okay" could be

> 这个还能将就。/ 这个还凑合。This is barely tolerable.
>
> 这个还可以。This is acceptable.
>
> 这个蛮好的。/ 这个（还）不错。 This is good.
>
> 这个挺好。This is pretty good.
>
> 这个很好。This is very good.

I am not sure if the English translation makes sense - the examples show an increasing level of approval.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2012-03-09. Score: 1

Both are adv. 最 is used in superlative and 真 as an intensifier of adj.
I think the example given above 我最喜欢去组约 should be translated by 'I like visiting NY the best (than the other places)' and 'I'd really like to go to New York.' means 我很\**想要*\*喜欢去，which signifies a non realized event in the future with the will of person named by the subject 'I'.


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2012-03-30. Score: 0

我最喜欢纽约。-I like New York the most.
我最喜欢去纽约。-New York is my favourite place.

is there a way of saying "This is okay" rather than "这是很好" without the use of 很?
This is okay, we may say 这很好 without 是. But we seldom use it without 很.


---

