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Expressing "enough" with "gou"
==============================
[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASG49BE6)
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Level
[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)
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Similar to
Used for
[Describing
degree](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Describing_degree),
[Expressing
attitude](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_attitude)
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Keywords
[够](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%A4%9F),
[了](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BA%86),
[够了](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%A4%9F%E4%BA%86)
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Translations
[enough](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Enough)
[{width="300"
height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-le.jpg)
Contents
--------
[hide]([# "wikilink")\]
- [1 Affirmative
Form](#Affirmative_Form "wikilink")
- [1.1
Structure](#Structure "wikilink")
- [1.2
Examples](#Examples "wikilink")
- [2 Negative
Form](#Negative_Form "wikilink")
- [2.1
Structure](#Structure_2 "wikilink")
- [2.2
Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink")
- [3 Colloquial
Saying](#Colloquial_Saying "wikilink")
- [4 See
also](#See_also "wikilink")
- [5 Sources and
further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
- [5.1
Books](#Books "wikilink")
够 + Verb / Adj. + 了
The [了](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BA%86)
is not strictly required, but it adds a sense of emphasis.
### Examples
In these examples, 够 (gòu) comes before verbs. You'll notice that *who*
is doing the verb to *what* is normally just understood in context.
- 我们 买 了 很 多 菜 ，*够* 吃 **了** 。We
bought a lot of food. It's enough for us to eat.
- 这些 纸 *够* 用 吗 ？Is this paper enough for us to
use?
- 放心 吧 ，我 带 的 钱 *够* 花 。Don't worry. I've
brought enough money to spend.
When it comes before an adjective, 了 is needed at the end of the
sentence.
- 我 对 你 *够* 好 **了** 。I've been good enough to
you.
- 别 抱怨 了 ，你 *够* 幸运 **了** 。Stop complaining. You've been
lucky enough.
Negative Form
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In the negative form, you're not going to need a 了 (le).
### Structure
Subj. + 不 + 够 + Adj. / Verb
Note that 了 can't be used when it's negated.
### Examples
- 他 觉得 他 女朋友 *不 够* 漂亮 。He thinks
his girlfriend is not pretty enough.
- 你 说 得 *不 够* 清楚 。You didn't speak clearly
enough.
- 这些 菜 *不 够* 吃 ，再 点 几 个 菜 。This
food is not enough for us to eat. Let's order a few more
dishes.
- 这里 太 小 了 ，*不 够* 坐 。It's too cramped here.
There's not enough room to sit.
- 你 的 包 太 小 了，这些 东西 肯定 *不 够* 放
。Your bag is too small.
There's definitely not enough room to hold this stuff.
Translations feel looser here, as the Chinese frequently omits the
details about what's not enough for what. The verb and the context makes
it clear enough.
Colloquial Saying
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Literally, 够了 means "it's enough." When the speaker is getting sick of
doing something or feeling fed up, 够了 can be applied after a limited
number of verbs.
A few common examples:
- 我 **受** *够 了* ！I've had enough of it!
- 天天 吃 外卖 ，我们 都 **吃** *够 了*
。We eat take-out every day. We're sick
of eating it.
- 你 **玩** *够 了* 没有 ？Are you done playing?
See also
-------------------------------------------------------
- [The "zui"
superlative](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/The_%22zui%22_superlative)
- [Expressing "excessively" with
"tai"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22excessively%22_with_%22tai%22)
Sources and further reading
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Books
\
[Category](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories):
- [B1 grammar
points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)
[](http://amzn.to/2iioVRP)