Introduction
To say "X is big / cold / expensive" in Chinese, you do not use 是 (shì). The adjective is the verb. But a bare adjective sounds like the start of a comparison, so a small word — usually 很 (hěn) — is slotted in front to close the sentence off.
Overview
Structure: Noun + 很 (hěn) + Adjective
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| N + 很 + Adj | 今天很热。(Jīntiān hěn rè.) | It's hot today. |
| N + 不 + Adj | 今天不热。(Jīntiān bú rè.) | It isn't hot today. |
| N + 很 + Adj + 吗？ | 今天很热吗？(Jīntiān hěn rè ma?) | Is it hot today? |
| N + Adj + 不 + Adj？ | 今天热不热？(Jīntiān rè bu rè?) | Is it hot today? |
| N + 太 + Adj + 了 | 今天太热了！(Jīntiān tài rè le!) | It's far too hot today! |
很 (hěn) here does not mean "very":
- 我很好。(Wǒ hěn hǎo.) = I'm fine — not "I'm very well". 很 is unstressed and almost empty.
- Drop it and the sentence turns into a comparison: 我好 (Wǒ hǎo) implies "I'm the good one (unlike someone else)".
- To actually mean "very", stress 很 in speech, or use 非常 (fēicháng): 今天非常热。(Jīntiān fēicháng rè.) — It's extremely hot today.
- ❌ 今天是热。(Jīntiān shì rè.) — 是 (shì) links two nouns, never a noun and an adjective.
Examples
今天很热。
Jīntiān hěn rè.
It's hot today.
我很好，谢谢。
Wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxie.
I'm fine, thank you.
这本书很有意思。
Zhè běn shū hěn yǒuyìsi.
This book is interesting.
我的房间不大。
Wǒ de fángjiān bú dà.
My room isn't big.
中文难不难？
Zhōngwén nán bu nán?
Is Chinese hard?
这个菜太辣了！
Zhège cài tài là le!
This dish is far too spicy!
Usage Notes
- No 是 (shì) anywhere in this pattern. This is the first place English speakers slip, because "is" feels obligatory.
- In the negative, 很 disappears: 今天不热。(Jīntiān bú rè.) — not 今天不很热 (Jīntiān bù hěn rè).
- Other degree words can replace 很: 非常 (fēicháng) — extremely, 太……了 (tài … le) — too, 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr) — a bit (usually for something unwelcome), 不太 (bú tài) — not very.
- 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr) carries a complaint: 今天有点儿冷。(Jīntiān yǒudiǎnr lěng.) — It's a bit cold (and I don't like it).
- Adjectives can also modify nouns directly, and then 的 (de) appears: 一个很大的房间。(Yī gè hěn dà de fángjiān.) — a big room.