B2 Advanced Comparisons

How to Say “Very / Really” with 得很 (de hěn)

得很 (de hěn) is a degree complement that adds real emphasis AFTER an adjective: Adjective + 得很 = “very / really / genuinely.” 好得很 (“really good”), 忙得很 (“swamped”), 聪明得很 (“plenty smart”). It’s informal and spoken, and it’s noticeably stronger than the plain 很 you put BEFORE an adjective, where 很好 is often just “good.” Same 很, opposite weight.

Why this trips learners up

得很 (de hěn) is an intensifier that lands after the adjective: Adjective + 得很. 这家的面好吃得很 (“the noodles here are seriously good”), 我最近忙得很 (“I’ve been swamped lately”), 他聪明得很 (“he’s plenty smart”).

The whole point of 得很 is a quirk of Chinese you’ve already half-noticed: the ordinary 很 you put in front of an adjective is weak. 很好 usually just means “good,” not “very good,” the 很 is a near-obligatory filler that carries almost no real “very.” To actually stress the adjective, one option is to move 很 to the back as a complement: 好得很 genuinely means “really good.” So Chinese has, in effect, two 很s: a weak one before the adjective and an emphatic one after it.

得很 is informal and spoken, and it has a slightly assertive, pushing-back flavour, which is why it shows up so often in contradictions: 你说他笨？他聪明得很！(“You say he’s dumb? He’s plenty smart!”), 你觉得不好吃？我觉得好吃得很 (“You don’t think it’s tasty? I think it’s delicious”). It’s how you push back on someone with a bit of attitude.

Two rules. First, you need the 得, the bridge that hangs 很 off the adjective: it’s 好得很, never 好很. Second, since 得很 already supplies the emphasis, don’t also front a 很: it’s 好吃得很, not 很好吃得很. And keep it for adjectives and stative verbs (清楚得很, 多得很); with an action verb, 得 needs its own adjective after it (跑得很快, not a bare 跑得很).

The structure

Adjective 得很 de hěn

Colour key

Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.

Pattern Subject Verb Time Place Adverb Adjective Other

Examples in context

Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.

Tap a word to see its grammatical role.

zhè tiáo jiē 这条街 Subject wǎnshang 晚上 Time rènao 热闹 Adjective de hěn 得很 Pattern

This street is really lively at night (热闹 + 得很).

jīntiān 今天 Time fēng 风 Subject dà 大 Adjective de hěn 得很 Pattern

The wind is really strong today (大得很).

nǐ shuō tā bèn? 你说他笨？ Other tā 他 Subject cōngmíng 聪明 Adjective de hěn 得很 Pattern

You say he’s dumb? He’s plenty smart! (得很 pushing back on a claim.)

nàge háizi 那个孩子 Subject dǒngshì 懂事 Adjective de hěn 得很 Pattern cóng bù ，从不 Adverb ràng fùmǔ cāoxīn 让父母操心 Verb

That kid is remarkably sensible, he never makes his parents worry (懂事得很).

shān shàng de kōngqì 山上的空气 Subject xīnxiān 新鲜 Adjective de hěn 得很 Pattern shēn hūxī yíxià ba ，深呼吸一下吧 Verb

The air up the mountain is wonderfully fresh, take a deep breath (新鲜得很).

zhè zhǒng shǒujī 这种手机 Subject xiànzài 现在 Time piányi 便宜 Adjective de hěn 得很 Pattern bù shǎo rén ，不少人 Subject dōu 都 Adverb huàn le xīn de 换了新的 Verb

This kind of phone is really cheap now, plenty of people have switched to a new one (便宜得很).

wǒ 我 Subject xīnli 心里 Place qīngchu 清楚 Adjective de hěn 得很 Pattern zhǐshì ，只是 Adverb bùxiǎng shuō 不想说 Verb

I know perfectly well in my heart, I just don’t want to say it (清楚得很).

bié kàn zhè jiā diàn bú dà 别看这家店不大 Other dōngxi ，东西 Subject quán 全 Adjective de hěn 得很 Pattern shénme dōu ，什么都 Adverb mǎi de dào 买得到 Verb

Don’t be fooled by how small the shop is, it’s incredibly well stocked, you can find anything (全得很, with a lead-in clause).

Common mistakes

Avoid: 这里安静很。 zhèlǐ ānjìng hěn.

Say this: 这里安静得很。 zhèlǐ ānjìng de hěn.

Why it happens: 得很 needs the 得, the bridge that hangs 很 off the adjective. It’s 安静得很 (“really quiet”), never 安静很. Without the 得, nothing links the intensifier to the adjective.

Avoid: 这个菜很好吃得很。 zhège cài hěn hǎochī de hěn.

Say this: 这个菜好吃得很。 zhège cài hǎochī de hěn.

Why it happens: 得很 already carries the emphasis, so don’t also put a 很 in front: 好吃得很, not 很好吃得很. Pick one 很, and here it’s the one after.

Avoid: 他跑得很。 tā pǎo de hěn.

Say this: 他跑得很快。 tā pǎo de hěn kuài.

Why it happens: 得很 finishes an ADJECTIVE (or stative verb): 快得很, 清楚得很. After an ACTION verb, 得 introduces a manner complement that needs its own adjective: 跑得很快 (“runs fast”), not a dangling 跑得很.

Compare & contrast

Adjective + 得很 (after, genuinely emphatic)	很 + Adjective (before, often just a linker)	The difference
好得很hǎo de hěn = “really good” (emphatic, after)	很好hěn hǎo = “good” (the weak front 很)	好得很 puts 很 after the adjective and means “really good,” with feeling. 很好 puts 很 before it and usually just means “good,” where the front 很 is weak filler. Same 很, opposite weight.
忙得很máng de hěn = “swamped” (lands harder)	很忙hěn máng = “busy” (neutral)	忙得很 (“swamped”) lands harder than 很忙 (“busy”). Moving 很 to the back turns up the volume.

Rule of thumbThe 很 in FRONT of an adjective is a weak, near-obligatory linker (很好 ≈ “good”). The 很 that comes AFTER as 得很 is a true degree complement with full “very” force and an informal, assertive tone (好得很 = “really good”). If you want genuine emphasis in speech, 得很 delivers it, where a front 很 barely registers.

Try it yourself

Say “This place is really clean.” Adjective first, then 得很: 这个地方干净得很。

Related patterns

Quick reference card

How to Say “Very / Really” with 得很 (de hěn) grammar.merrymandarin.com

A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.

Structure

Adjective + 得很

Example

这条街晚上热闹得很

This street is really lively at night (热闹 + 得很).

Watch out

✗ 这里安静很。 → ✓ 这里安静得很。