简直 (jiǎnzhí) is similar to "simply" or "completely" in English, and can be used to modify adjectives or verbs, adding a tone of amazement on the part of the speaker.
Using 简直 to modify verbs
Basic structure
Examples
- 你 简直 不 是 人。 You simply aren't a person.
- 你 的 房间 简直 像 一 个 战场，快点 收拾 收拾! Your room looks like a complete war zone. Hurry up and clean it!
- 我 简直 不敢 相信！ I simply can't bring myself to believe it.
- 我 简直 不 知道 该 怎么 说服 你。 I just don't know how I should persuade you.
简直 is often used with "就是在 + verb" or "是在 + verb" structure. In English we might say: "He's simply lying to you."
- 三星 的 智能 手机 简直 就是 在 模仿 iPhone。 The Samsung smartphones are just a copy of the iPhone.
- 他 简直 是 在 骗 你。 He's just lying to you.
Complex structure
Subj. + (Obj.) + Verb + 得 + 简直 + Adj.
Examples
- 他 普通话 说 得 简直 比 中国人 还 标准！ He simply speaks Mandarin more correctly than Chinese people!
- 中国 的 高速 铁路 修建 得 简直 太 快 了! China's elevated railroad was simply built really fast!
Using 简直 to modify adjectives
Structure
Examples
- 你 的 男 朋友 简直（是）太 帅 了! Your boyfriend is just so handsome!
- 他 的 考试 成绩 简直 好极 了！ His test grades are simply fantastic!
However, although it is possible in English to say something is "simply beautiful," in Chinese, 简直 cannot be followed directly by an unmodified adjective. Modifiers like 太, 很 and 极了 can be used, as in the following examples:
- 她 简直 漂亮！
- 她 很 漂亮！
- 她 简直 太 漂亮 了！
- 她 简直 漂亮 极 了!
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语中级冲刺篇) (pp. 115)
- Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 134-6)
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 225)