很 vs 太
In Mandarin Chinese, hěn 很 and tài 太 both modify adjectives, but they serve different functions: hěn 很 often marks a neutral or mild degree while tài 太 adds an evaluative or excessive nuance. This guide explains their uses with examples.
很
Hěn 很 typically functions as a linker that makes an adjective into a descriptive predicate without strongly emphasizing degree; it appears in habitual or neutral statements.
When you say hěn 很 + adjective, listeners usually interpret the property as simply notable rather than extreme, so it works well for general descriptions and when you do not intend to highlight intensity.
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太
Tài 太 adds a sense of excess or strong evaluation, often implying that something goes beyond a desirable limit; it is frequently followed by an adjective and sometimes by a result phrase.
Use tài 太 when you want to emphasize that something is very much so, more than needed, or when expressing approval or criticism about the degree of a quality.
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很 vs 太
The key difference is that hěn 很 keeps the tone neutral or mild while tài 太 signals intensity or excess; replacing one with the other changes the sentence's pragmatic force.
For example, hěn 很 漂亮 你 你 你* 你 你 你 你 你 你 你 你 你 你 你 你
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐱 猫🐱很可爱。 | Māo hěn kě’ài. | The cat is very cute. | Normal compliment or description |
| 🍵 茶🍵很热。 | Chá hěn rè. | The tea is hot. | Neutral fact |
| 🧑 他👨很忙。 | Tā hěn máng. | He is very busy. | Polite statement |
| 🏠 房子🏠太小。 | Fángzi tài xiǎo. | The house is too small. | Problematic size |
| 🌶️ 菜️🌶️太辣了。 | Cài tài là le. | The dish is too spicy. | Discomfort |
| 🕰️ 时间🕰️太晚。 | Shíjiān tài wǎn. | It’s too late. | Inconvenience |
| 🐶 狗🐶很友好。 | Gǒu hěn yǒuhǎo. | The dog is very friendly. | Positive trait |
| 👗 衣服👗太贵。 | Yīfú tài guì. | The clothes are too expensive. | Negative judgment |
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Summary
Use hěn 很 for neutral or typical descriptions where you do not stress degree, and use tài 太 to highlight that something is excessively or notably so; paying attention to this difference helps you sound natural in Mandarin.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025