Adjectives with 很

One of the most surprising things about Chinese grammar is that adjectives act like verbs. You do not need 是 (to be) to connect a subject to an adjective. "He is tall" is not "他是高" — it is simply "他很高" (tā hěn gāo). The adjective 高 functions as the predicate on its own.

The word 很 (hěn) literally means "very," but in basic adjective sentences it is often used as a grammatical filler and does not carry its full "very" meaning. When you say "她很漂亮" (tā hěn piàoliang), it simply means "She is pretty" — not necessarily "She is VERY pretty." If you want to actually emphasize "very," you stress 很 with extra vocal emphasis, or use stronger adverbs like 非常 (fēicháng, extremely).

Why is 很 needed at all? Without any adverb, a bare adjective sentence like "他高" implies a comparison — "He is tall (compared to someone)." Adding 很 neutralizes this comparative tone and makes it a plain statement. So for simple descriptions, always include 很 (or another adverb like 真, 非常, 比较) before the adjective. To negate, use 不: "他不高" (He is not tall). In negative sentences, 很 is dropped — 不 takes its place as the modifier.