Using 很 (hěn) to intensify verbs that express thoughts or feeling is
really easy.

Structure
---------

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 很 + \[Certain Verbs\]

</div>
Certain "[psychological verbs](psychological_verb "wikilink")" 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:

-   想 (xiǎng) to think; to want; to miss
-   喜欢 (xǐhuan) to like
-   小心 (xiǎoxīn) to be careful
-   怕 (pà) to fear; to be afraid of
-   了解 (liǎojiě) to know a lot about
-   讨厌 (tǎoyàn) to hate
-   担心 (dānxīn) to worry about
-   希望 (xīwàng) to hope

Examples
--------

<div class="liju">
-   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>
-   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>
-   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>
-   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>
-   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>
-   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>
-   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>
-   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>

</div>
Did you ever notice that some Chinese people with less-than-perfect
English will use the phrase "very like?" Now you know why!

See also
--------

-   [Expressing "excessively" with
    tai](Expressing_"excessively"_with_tai "wikilink")
-   [The "zui" superlative](The_"zui"_superlative "wikilink")
-   [Positive adjectives with "-ji
    le"](Positive_adjectives_with_"-ji_le" "wikilink")

Sources and further reading
---------------------------

### Books

-   [New Practical Chinese Reader
    1 (新实用汉语课本1)](New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1) "wikilink") (p.
    143)
    [→buy](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)
-   [New Practical Chinese Reader 1
    (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)](New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1)(2nd_ed) "wikilink") (p.
    166)
    [→buy](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)

[Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")