<p>Using 很 (hěn) to intensify verbs that express thoughts or feeling is really easy.</p> <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + 很 + [Certain Verbs]</p> </div> <p>Certain "<a href="psychological_verb" title="wikilink">psychological verbs</a>" related to feelings or emotional sates can be modified with 很 (hěn) to increase their intensity. This is similar to using "really" or "very much" in English. Remember that this only applies to psychological verbs, such as:</p> <ul> <li>想 (xiǎng) to think; to want; to miss</li> <li>喜欢 (xǐhuan) to like</li> <li>小心 (xiǎoxīn) to be careful</li> <li>怕 (pà) to fear; to be afraid of</li> <li>了解 (liǎojiě) to know a lot about</li> <li>讨厌 (tǎoyàn) to hate</li> <li>担心 (dānxīn) to worry about</li> <li>希望 (xīwàng) to hope</li> </ul> <h2 id="examples">Examples</h2> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>我 <em>很</em> <strong>想</strong> 你。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>hěn</em> <strong>xiǎng</strong> nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I really miss you.</span></li> <li>他 <em>很</em> <strong>喜欢</strong> 你。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>hěn</em> <strong>xǐhuan</strong> nǐ.</span><span class="trans">He really likes you.</span></li> <li>你应该<em>很</em> <strong>小心</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yīnggāi <em>hěn</em> <strong>xiǎoxīn</strong>.</span><span class="trans">You should be very careful.</span></li> <li>我 <em>很</em> <strong>怕</strong> 晚上 一个人 在家。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>hěn</em> <strong>pà</strong> wǎnshang yīgèrén zài jiā.</span><span class="trans">I fear staying home alone at night.</span></li> <li>你 应该 <em>很</em> <strong>了解</strong> 自己 的 孩子。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yīnggāi <em>hěn</em> <strong>liǎojiě</strong> zìjǐ de háizi.</span><span class="trans">You should know a lot about your child.</span></li> <li>外国 人 <em>很</em> <strong>讨厌</strong> 中国 的 公共 厕所。<span class="pinyin">Wàiguó rén <em>hěn</em> <strong>tǎoyàn</strong> Zhōngguó de gōnggòng cèsuǒ.</span><span class="trans">Foreigners really hate public toilets in China.</span></li> <li>你 两天 没 回家，妈妈 <em>很</em> <strong>担心</strong> 你。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ liǎng tiān méi huíjiā, māma <em>hěn</em> <strong>dānxīn</strong> nǐ.</span><span class="trans">You haven't gone home in two days. Mom is really worried about you.</span></li> <li>父母 都 <em>很</em> <strong>希望</strong> 我 能 上 一 个 好 大学。<span class="pinyin">Fùmǔ dōu <em>hěn</em> <strong>xīwàng</strong> wǒ néng shàng yī gè hǎo dàxué.</span><span class="trans">Both of my parents really hope that I can go to a good college.</span></li> </ul> </div> <p>Did you ever notice that some Chinese people with less-than-perfect English will use the phrase "very like?" Now you know why!</p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="Expressing_"excessively"_with_tai" title="wikilink">Expressing "excessively" with tai</a></li> <li><a href="The_"zui"_superlative" title="wikilink">The "zui" superlative</a></li> <li><a href="Positive_adjectives_with_"-ji_le"" title="wikilink">Positive adjectives with "-ji le"</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)</a> (p. 143) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401">→buy</a></li> <li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1)(2nd_ed)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)</a> (p. 166) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235">→buy</a></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>