hěn 很 vs tài 太 – very vs too (excessively)
Mandarin distinguishes between moderate degree and excessive degree with hěn 很 and tài 太, so choosing the right one changes the meaning from "very" to "too (much)".
hěn 很 (very)
Hěn 很 marks a strong but acceptable degree and often appears before adjectives to signal "very" without necessarily emphasizing extreme intensity. It can sometimes be omitted in casual speech.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 很好 | hěn hǎo | very good |
| 很大 | hěn dà | very big |
| 很快 | hěn kuài | very fast |
| Hanzi Sentence | Pinyin Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 🌟 这家餐厅的菜很不错。 | Zhè jiā cāntīng de cài hěn bùcuò. | The food at this restaurant is very good. |
| 🍵 我觉得这茶很香。 | Wǒ juéde zhè chá hěn xiāng. | I think this tea is very fragrant. |
| 🥗 沙拉的味道很清新。 | Shālā de wèidào hěn qīngxīn. | The flavor of the salad is very fresh. |
| 🍰 甜点很甜，但很好吃。 | Tiándiǎn hěn tián, dàn hěn hǎochī. | The dessert is very sweet, but very delicious. |
| 🍊 水果很新鲜。 | Shuǐguǒ hěn xīnxiān. | The fruit is very fresh. |
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tài 太 (too, excessively)
Tai 太 signals that something exceeds a desirable limit and is often followed by an adjective and sometimes a negative result or comment. It means "too (much)" and implies excessiveness.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 太贵了 | tài guì le | too expensive |
| 太慢了 | tài màn le | too slow |
| 太热了 | tài rè le | too hot |
| Hanzi Sentence | Pinyin Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ⚠️ 这汤太咸了，喝不下去。 | Zhè tāng tài xián le, hē bù xiàqù. | This soup is too salty to drink. |
| 🔥 菜太辣，我吃得直喝水。 | Cài tài là, wǒ chī de zhí hē shuǐ. | The dish is too spicy, I kept drinking water. |
| 🍶 咖啡太苦了，加点糖吧。 | Kāfēi tài kǔ le, jiā diǎn táng ba. | The coffee is too bitter, let's add some sugar. |
| 🥖 面包太硬，咬不动。 | Miànbāo tài yìng, yǎo bù dòng. | The bread is too hard to bite. |
| ❄️ 饮料太冰了，头都疼了。 | Yǐnliào tài bīng le, tóu dōu téng le. | The drink is too cold, it gave me a headache. |
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Usage
Use hěn 很 to state a strong but normal quality and tài 太 to criticize or highlight an excessive degree that causes a problem or negative reaction. Tài is often followed by le 了 to emphasize the result.
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Summary
Hěn 很 = "very" marks a high yet acceptable degree; tài 太 = "too (much)" marks an excessive, often problematic degree. Choose hěn for intensity and tài for excessiveness to convey your precise meaning.
Last updated: Tue Sep 16, 2025