2. These degree adverbs usually modify verbs whose semantic meanings are gradable, such
as most psychological verbs and some modal verbs. Action verbs cannot be modified by these adverbs.
我非常後悔參加了這個派對。
wǒ fēi cháng hòu huǐ cān jiā le zhè gè pài duì.
I deeply regret taking part in this party.
我十分贊成你的觀點。
wǒ shí fēn zàn chéng nǐ de guān diǎn.
I quite agree with you.
比起這家餐廳,我更想去那家餐廳。
bǐ qǐ zhè jiā cān tīng ,wǒ gèng xiǎng qù nà jiā cān tīng.
Compared with this restaurant, I prefer that one.
他今天很可能不在家,你最好明天再去拜訪他。
tā jīn tiān hěn kě néng bú zài jiā,nǐ zuì hǎo míng tiān zài qù bài fǎng tā.
He is probably not at home today, you’d better come to visit him tomorrow.
你現在最應該做的事情就是好好休息一下。
nǐ xiàn zài zuì yīng gāi zuò de shì qíng jiù shì hǎo hǎo xiū xī yī xià.
The thing you should do most right now is to take a good rest.
3. In Mandarin Chinese, the general position of a negative particle is before a verb phrase,
adjective or adverb. When occurring with the negative marker “ bù (不)”, these degree adverbs usually precede “ bù (不)” to intensify the degree of negation. Verbs, adjectives and adverbs conveying negative meanings cannot be employed in this form.
我特别degree [不喜歡冬天]。
wǒ tè bié bù xǐ huān dōng tiān.
I especially don’t like winter.
他很degree [不情願地離開了]。
tā hěn bù qíng yuàn de lí kāi le.
He left very reluctantly.
這裏白天很degree [不安全],晚上就更degree [不安全]了。
zhè lǐ bái tiān hěn bù ān quán ,wǎn shàng jiù gèng bù ān quán le.
It is very unsafe here during the day, not to speak of the night.
*我特别不討厭你。
*wǒ tè biébù tǎo yàn nǐ.
*I don’t hate you so much.
*他非常不難過。
*tā fēi cháng bù nán guò.
*He is very not sad.
It is worth noticing that hěn (很)and shí fēn (十分) can be preceded by “bù (不)” to convey a sense of euphemistic negation. For instance, in sentence A, the degree adverb hěn (很) has the negative in its scope, but sentence B is of the opposite situation.
A.我很degree [不喜歡你] I don’t like you to a strong degree.
B.我不 [很degree喜歡你] It is not that I like you very much.
具體的情況我不十分/很了解,你還是問問其他人吧。
jù tǐ de qíng kuàng wǒ bù shí fēn /hěn liáo jiě ,nǐ hái shì wèn wèn qí tā rén ba.
I am not very clear about the details, you’d better ask somebody else.
4. Fēi cháng(非常), tè bi(特別) and zuì(最) can be used repeatedly to intensify the meaning of the modified words.
我覺得你非常非常善良。
wǒ jué de nǐ fēi cháng fēi cháng shàn liáng.
I think you are very, very kind.
他特別特別想见你。(Mostly used in spoken language)
tā tè bié tè bié xiǎng jiàn nǐ.
He particularly wants to see you.
所有人之中,我最最喜歡你。(Mostly used in spoken language)
suǒ yǒu rén zhī zhōng,wǒ zuì zuì xǐ huān nǐ.
Among all the people, I like you the most.
It should be noted that hěn (很) also can be employed in a reduplicated form, but the reduplication strategy for hěn (很) is to reduplicate the modified constituent together with it to express a strengthened meaning.
我等了你很久很久。
wǒ děng le nǐ hěn jiǔ hěn jiǔ.
I have been waiting for you for such a long time.
