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  <title>Expressing "excessively" with "tai"</title>
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  <h1>Expressing "excessively" with "<span class="pinyinst">tài</span>" "<span class="hanzist">太</span>"</h1>

  <p>In Chinese, the simplest structure for expressing <i><b>too</b></i> in the sense of <i><b>excessively</b></i> is by using the word <span class="hanzi">太</span> (<span class="pinyin">tài</span>). Don't forget to also add <span class="hanzi">了</span> (<span class="pinyin">le</span>) after the adjective to keep your Chinese sounding natural.</p>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_202">Contents</h2>

  <div class="contents">
    <ul>
      <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22excessively%22_with_%22tai%22#Structure"> 1 Structure</a></li>

      <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22excessively%22_with_%22tai%22#Examples"> 2 Examples</a></li>

      <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22excessively%22_with_%22tai%22#See_also"> 3 See also</a></li>

      <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22excessively%22_with_%22tai%22#Sources_and_Further_Reading"> 4 Sources and Further Reading</a></li>
    </ul>
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  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_203"><span id="Structure">Structure</span></h3>

  <div class="deux">
    <span style="color: rgb(255, 127, 80); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 30px;">太</span> + Adj. + <span style="color: rgb(255, 127, 80); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 30px;">了</span>
  </div>

  <p>As in English, this can express that something <b>really is excessive</b> (often as a complaint), or can also colloquially express the meaning of <i><b>so</b></i> or <i><b>very</b></i>.</p>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_204">Examples</h3>

  <p>The following examples sound a little bit like a complaint, or a reason for not doing something. They're similar to how we would use "too" in English, and the translations are straightforward.</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">米饭 太 多 了 。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Mǐfàn tài duō le .</span> <br/>There is too much rice.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">现在 太 晚 了 。</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Xiànzài tài wǎn le .</span> <br/>Now it's too late.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">老板 太 忙 了 。</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn tài máng le .</span> <br/>The boss is too busy.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">老师 太 累 了 。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Lǎoshī tài lèi le .</span> <br/>The teacher is too tired.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">这个 厕所 太 脏 了 。</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Zhè ge cèsuǒ tài zāng le .</span> <br/>This restroom is too dirty.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <p>In the following examples, the same exact pattern is used to exclaim at how <i><b>good</b></i> something is, so these uses are totally <i><b>not</b></i> complaints. The English translations have to get a little more creative to express the same feeling in English.</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">你 太 好 了 。</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ tài hǎo le .</span> <br/>You are so great.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 太 帅 了 。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Tā tài shuài le .</span><br/> He is very handsome.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">这 个 女孩 太 漂亮 了 。</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Zhè ge nǚhái tài piàoliang le .</span> <br/>This girl is so pretty.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">小猫 太 可爱 了 ！</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Xiǎomāo tài kě'ài le !</span><br/> The kitten is so cute!</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 的 孩子 太 聪明 了 。</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ de háizi tài cōngming le .</span> <br/>Your kids are wicked smart.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <p>Note for the more advanced learner: This pattern can be used with <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Auxiliary_verbs" title="Auxiliary verbs" class="mw-redirect">modal verbs</a> (e.g. <span class="hanzi">会</span> (<span class="pinyin">huì</span>), <span class="hanzi">能 </span> <span class="pinyin">néng</span>)) as well as psychological verbs (e.g. <span class="hanzi">喜欢</span> (<span class="pinyin">xǐhuan</span>), <span class="hanzi">想</span> (<span class="pinyin">xiǎng</span>), <span class="hanzi">爱 </span>(<span class="pinyin">ài</span>)) to intensify the degree.</p>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_205">See also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Not_very%22_with_%22bu_tai%22" title="&quot;Not very&quot; with &quot;bu tai&quot;" class="mw-redirect">"Not very" with "bu tài"</a></li>

    <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Positive_adjectives_with_%22-ji_le%22" title="Positive adjectives with &quot;-ji le&quot;">Positive adjectives with "-ji le"</a></li>

    <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/The_%22zui%22_superlative" title="The &quot;zui&quot; superlative" class="mw-redirect">The "zui" superlative</a></li>

    <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special_verbs_with_%22hen%22" title="Special verbs with &quot;hen&quot;">Special verbs with "hen"</a></li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_206">Sources and Further Reading</h2>

  <ul>
    <li>Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (p. 200)</li>

    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 180-1)</li>

    <li>Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (p. 57)</li>
  </ul>
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