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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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<p>The most common way to form a superlative (best, worst, biggest,
smallest, etc.) in Chinese is to use 最 (zuì) before an <a href=
"adjective" class="uri" title="wikilink">adjective</a> (and a few
select <a href="verb" title="wikilink">verbs</a>).</p>
<h2 id="最-zuì-with-adjectives">最 (zuì) with Adjectives</h2>
<h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>
<p>The structure is:</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>最 + Adj.</p>
</div>
<p>And now you have the superlative form of the adjective. Unlike
in English, this structure is consistent for all adjectives in
Chinese. The inconsistencies in English sometimes confuse
beginners, so note in the examples below how to say "best,"
"worst," "least," and "most" (meaning "greatest number").</p>
<h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>哪 个 老师 <em>最</em> 好？<span class="pinyin">Nǎge lǎoshī
<em>zuì</em> hǎo?</span> <span class="trans">Which teacher is the
best?</span></li>
<li>你们 家 谁 <em>最</em> 漂亮？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen jiā shéi
<em>zuì</em> piàoliang?</span> <span class="trans">In your family
who is the most beautiful?</span></li>
<li>Zuckerberg <em>最</em> 有钱。 <span class="pinyin">Zuckerberg
<em>zuì</em> yǒuqián.</span><span class="trans">Zuckerberg is the
richest.</span></li>
<li>汉语 <em>最</em> 难。 <span class="pinyin">Hànyǔ <em>zuì</em>
nán.</span><span class="trans">The Chinese language is the most
difficult.</span></li>
<li>这 种 事 <em>最</em> 麻烦。<span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng shì
<em>zuì</em> máfan.</span><span class="trans">These kind of things
are the most troublesome.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="optional-了-le">Optional 了 (le)</h2>
<p>Occasionally you'll also see a 了 (le) added after the adjective.
This simply adds emphasis to the "-est."</p>
<h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>最 + Adj. (+ 了)</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>小狗 <em>最</em> 可爱 <strong>了</strong>。<span class=
"expl pdf-simple-expl">This 了 is optional</span><span class=
"pinyin">Xiǎogǒu <em>zuì</em> kěài
<strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The puppy is the
cutest.</span></li>
<li>四川 菜 <em>最</em> 辣 <strong>了</strong>。<span class=
"expl pdf-simple-expl">This 了 is optional</span><span class=
"pinyin">Sìchuān cài <em>zuì</em> là
<strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Sichuan food is the
spiciest.</span></li>
<li>我 的 中国 朋友 <em>最</em> 热情 <strong>了</strong>。<span class=
"expl pdf-simple-expl">This 了 is optional</span><span class=
"pinyin">Wǒ de Zhōngguó péngyou <em>zuì</em> rèqíng
<strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">My Chinese friend is
the most enthusiastic.</span></li>
<li>他 的 学生 <em>最</em> 认真 <strong>了</strong>。<span class=
"expl pdf-simple-expl">This 了 is optional</span><span class=
"pinyin">Tā de xuésheng <em>zuì</em> rènzhēn
<strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">His student is the
most serious.</span></li>
<li>黄山 的 风景 <em>最</em> 美 <strong>了</strong>。 <span class=
"expl pdf-simple-expl">This 了 is optional</span><span class=
"pinyin">Huángshān de fēngjǐng <em>zuì</em> měi
<strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Huang Mountain's
landscape is the most beautiful.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="最-zuì-with-psychological-verbs">最 (zuì) with Psychological
Verbs</h2>
<p>最 (zuì) can also come before <a href="psychological_verb" title=
"wikilink">psychological verbs</a>, to express what one "most
likes," "most hates," etc. It won't make sense if you try to use 最
(zuì) with non-psychological verbs, though.</p>
<h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3>
<p>The structure is:</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>最 + [Psychological Verb] + Obj. (+ 了)</p>
</div>
<p>Note the 了 (le) on the end there! It's not strictly required,
but you'll hear it a lot in spoken Chinese.</p>
<h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>老板 <em>最</em> <strong>喜欢</strong> 你 了！ <span class=
"pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>zuì</em> <strong>xǐhuan</strong> nǐ
le!</span><span class="trans">The boss likes you the
best!</span></li>
<li>你 <em>最</em> <strong>怕</strong> 什么？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ
<em>zuì</em> <strong>pà</strong> shénme?</span><span class=
"trans">What do you most fear?</span></li>
<li>我 <em>最</em> <strong>爱</strong> 中国 菜。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ
<em>zuì</em> <strong>ài</strong> Zhōngguó cài.</span><span class=
"trans">I love Chinese food most.</span></li>
<li>谁 <em>最</em> <strong>了解</strong> 你？ <span class="pinyin">Shéi
<em>zuì</em> <strong>liǎojiě</strong> nǐ?</span><span class=
"trans">Who knows you best?</span></li>
<li>她 <em>最</em> <strong>讨厌</strong> 抽烟 的 男人 了。<span class=
"pinyin">Tā <em>zuì</em> <strong>tǎoyàn</strong> chōuyān de nánrén
了.</span><span class="trans">She most hates men that
smoke.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Although you could translate it as "like the best," pairing 最
(zuì) with the psychological verb 喜欢 (xǐhuan) is also a great way
to talk about one's "favorite."</p>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>你 <em>最</em> <strong>喜欢</strong> 什么 颜色？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ
<em>zuì</em> <strong>xǐhuan</strong> shénme yánsè?</span>
<span class="trans">What is your favorite color?</span></li>
<li>你 <em>最</em> <strong>喜欢</strong> 什么 动物？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ
<em>zuì</em> <strong>xǐhuan</strong> shénme
dòngwù?</span><span class="trans">What is your favorite
animal?</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="Expressing_&quot;excessively&quot;_with_tai" title=
"wikilink">Expressing "excessively" with tai</a></li>
<li><a href="Positive_adjectives_with_&quot;-ji_le&quot;" title=
"wikilink">Positive adjectives with "-ji le"</a></li>
<li><a href="Expressing_&quot;rather&quot;_with_&quot;bijiao&quot;"
title="wikilink">Expressing "rather" with "bijiao"</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_3_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC3)"
title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)</a> (pp.
15-6) <a href=
"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=756191251X">
→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Mandarin_Chinese:_A_Functional_Reference_Grammar"
title="wikilink">Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference
Grammar</a> (pp. 571-4) <a href=
"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520066103?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0520066103">
→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1" title=
"wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1</a> (p. 344)
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276792">
→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title=
"wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>
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