Meaning
very; extremely
Chinese: 程度副词，表示非常。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “hen” becomes a different word in each tone. 很 is the 3rd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 很是hěn shì(formal) very; quite; deeply (usu. followed by a two-syllable adjective or verb)
- 不很bù hěnnot very
- 得很de hěn(after an adjective) very
Example Sentence
这道菜很好吃。Zhè dào cài hěn hǎo chī.This dish is very delicious.
这Zhèthis道dàoroad菜càivegetable很hěnvery好吃hǎo chītasty。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
The step radical 彳 plus 艮 (sound): now the everyday degree adverb ‘very, quite’ — 很好 (very good), 很多 (many).
A way to remember it
The default ‘very’: 很好, 很大.
Easy to confuse with
- 跟‘With / heel’: the same 艮, but with the foot radical 足.