Chinese - Adjectives (形容词)
Chinese adjective grammar is refreshingly simple compared to many European languages because Chinese adjectives do not change form (no plurals, no gender agreement, no conjugation).
The complexity comes from how they are intensified and how they are used to link to a noun.
1. The Adjective as a Predicate (The Verb-less Sentence)
Unlike English, which requires the verb "to be" (is, are, am) to link a subject and an adjective (e.g., "She is beautiful"), Chinese uses the adjective as the main predicate (the core part of the sentence) and requires an adverb of degree for most simple statements.
| Structure | Example | Direct Translation | Natural English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S + (很/非常/etc.) + Adj | 她很漂亮。 (Tā hěn piàoliang.) | She very beautiful. | She is beautiful. | 很 (hěn) usually acts as a placeholder, meaning "quite/very," but is often translated simply as "is." |
| S + 不 + Adj | 她不漂亮。 (Tā bù piàoliang.) | She not beautiful. | She is not beautiful. | When negating, 很 is not used. |
| S + Adj + 吗? | 她漂亮吗? (Tā piàoliang ma?) | She beautiful? | Is she beautiful? | When asking a question, 很 is not used. |
The Rule of 很 (hěn): Unless you are comparing, negating, or asking a question, you almost always put 很 (or another adverb of degree) before the adjective when it functions as a predicate.
2. Attributing a Noun (Linking Adjective to Noun)
When an adjective is used before a noun to modify or describe it (like "a beautiful girl"), the linking particle 的 (de) is often required.
| Adjective Length/Type | Structure | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple (1-2 Characters) | Adj + (的) + Noun | 漂亮的女孩 (piàoliang de nǚhái) | "A beautiful girl." The 的 is usually required. |
| Simple, Fixed Phrase | Adj + Noun | 好人 (hǎo rén) / 大城市 (dà chéngshì) | "Good person" / "Big city." 的 is dropped in many common, tight phrases. |
| Complex (Phrase/Clause) | Clause/Phrase + 的 + Noun | 昨天买的东西 (zuótiān mǎi de dōngxi) | "The stuff bought yesterday." 的 is mandatory here. |
3. Comparison Structures
Chinese uses specific words to show "more," "less," and "the same as."
A. Comparative (More...than)
The structure uses 比 (bǐ), which means "compared to."
- Structure: A + 比 + B + Adj + (Degree Modifier)
- Example: 我的手机 比 你的手机 新。 (Wǒ de shǒujī bǐ nǐ de shǒujī xīn.) — My phone is newer than your phone.
- Example (Degree): 他 比 我 高得多。 (Tā bǐ wǒ gāo de duō.) — He is much taller than me.
B. Equality (The same as)
The structure uses 跟 (gēn) or 和 (hé), meaning "with," followed by 一样 (yīyàng), meaning "the same."
- Structure: A + 跟/和 + B + 一样 + (Adj)
- Example: 这件衣服 跟 那件 一样 贵。 (Zhè jiàn yīfu gēn nà jiàn yīyàng guì.) — This piece of clothing is as expensive as that one.
C. Superlative (The most)
The structure uses 最 (zuì), meaning "most."
- Structure: S + 最 + Adj
- Example: 这是 最 好吃的菜。 (Zhè shì zuì hǎochī de cài.) — This is the most delicious dish.
4. Adjectives Used as Adverbs (The 地 Particle)
When you want an adjective to modify a verb (to become an adverb, like "beautifully" or "happily"), you add the particle 地 (dì) after the adjective.
- Structure: Adj + 地 + Verb
- Example: 他们高兴地唱歌。 (Tāmen gāoxīng de chàng gē.) — They happily sing.
- Example: 他慢慢地走。 (Tā mànmàn de zǒu.) — He walks slowly. (Slowly = adverb)
Summary Table
| Function | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Statement (Predicate) | S + 很 + Adj | 天气很热。 (The weather is hot.) |
| Modifying Noun (Attribute) | Adj + 的 + Noun | 一个新的电脑 (yī gè xīn de diànnǎo) |
| Comparison (More) | A + 比 + B + Adj | 你比我高。 (You are taller than me.) |
| Comparison (Same) | A + 跟 + B + 一样 + (Adj) | 他的车跟我的一样旧。 (His car is as old as mine.) |
| Superlative | S + 最 + Adj | 这是最难的问题。 (This is the most difficult question.) |
| Modifying Verb (Adverb) | Adj + 地 + Verb | 她大声地说话。 (Tā dàshēng de shuōhuà.) — She speaks loudly. |