Lessons 3, 6, 11, 12: Degree and exclamation: 多么, 好, 好不, 十分

Adverbs of high degree, many carrying an exclamatory tone.

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能出国学习多么不容易啊！

Néng chūguó xuéxí duōme bù róngyì a!

Being able to study abroad is so difficult to come by!

Explanation

多么 is often used in exclamatory sentences to express a very high degree. Its usage is quite similar to 多. 好 is an adverb expressing a high degree with an exclamatory tone: 好 + adjective + 啊 (好大啊！好高啊！好热闹啊！).

好不 + adjective works like 非常 + adjective and expresses affirmation (it is limited to a subset of two-syllable adjectives), for example 好不羡慕.

十分 is often used in written language; it means the same as 很 or 非常, and goes before an adjective or verb as an adverbial to express a high degree. Comparing 非常 and 十分: 非常 can be repeated (非常非常), but 十分 cannot be repeated (you can't say 十分十分精彩). You can put 不 before 十分 to express a somewhat low degree, but you can't do this before 非常 (you can't say 不非常好).

The Lesson 6 exercises also remind us: do not stack two degree adverbs (非常 and 特别) in one sentence, and 特别 goes before the degree component (睡得特别晚).

Structure

1
多么Adjadjective啊optional
Often used in exclamatory sentences, with a very high degree; usage is quite similar to 多.
- 多么有意思啊！
  Duōme yǒu yìsi a!
  How interesting!
- 能出国学习多么不容易啊！
  Néng chūguó xuéxí duōme bù róngyì a!
  Being able to study abroad is so difficult to come by!
- 你去了就会知道，那里的风景有多么美。
  Nǐ qù le jiù huì zhīdào, nàlǐ de fēngjǐng yǒu duōme měi.
  When you get there you'll see how beautiful the scenery is.
- 要是你能到天安门广场去看看，就会知道，这个古老的国家如今显得多么年轻。
  Yàoshi nǐ néng dào Tiān'ānmén Guǎngchǎng qù kànkan, jiù huì zhīdào, zhège gǔlǎo de guójiā rújīn xiǎnde duōme niánqīng.
  If you go and take a look at Tiananmen Square, you'll see how young this ancient country looks today.
2
好Adjadjective啊 / 好不Adjadjective
好: an adverb of high degree with an exclamatory tone; 好不 + two-syllable adjective: affirmative meaning, like 非常 + adjective.
- 这种葡萄好甜啊！
  Zhè zhǒng pútao hǎo tián a!
  These grapes are so sweet!
- 好大啊！
  Hǎo dà a!
  Too big!
- 好高啊！
  Hǎo gāo a!
  So tall!
- 好热闹啊！
  Hǎo rènao a!
  So lively!
- 好不羡慕
  hǎobù xiànmù
  Very envious
3
十分 + Adj / V；不十分 + Adj
Written language, like 很/非常; 十分 cannot be repeated, and 不 can be added before 十分 (lower degree).
- 一个飞碟快速自转着，那橙红色的光亮十分耀眼。
  Yí ge fēidié kuàisù zìzhuàn zhe, nà chénghóngsè de guāngliàng shífēn yàoyǎn.
  A flying saucer spins around, and that orange-red light is extremely dazzling.
- 留学的机会十分难得，一定要好好珍惜。
  Liúxué de jīhuì shífēn nándé, yídìng yào hǎohāo zhēnxī.
  The chance to study abroad is very rare; you must cherish it.
- 看到我的画儿被挂在展览橱窗里，我十分高兴。
  Kàndào wǒ de huàr bèi guà zài zhǎnlǎn chúchuāng li, wǒ shífēn gāoxìng.
  Seeing my painting hung in the display case, I was extremely happy.
- 这是朋友送给我的生日礼物，我十分喜欢。
  Zhè shì péngyou sòng gěi wǒ de shēngrì lǐwù, wǒ shífēn xǐhuan.
  This is the birthday gift you gave me, and I like it very much.
- 这场杂技表演非常非常精彩。
  Zhè chǎng zájì biǎoyǎn fēicháng fēicháng jīngcǎi.
  This acrobatic show is extremely good.
- 我觉得他这篇小说写得不十分好。
  Wǒ juéde tā zhè piān xiǎoshuō xiě de bù shífēn hǎo.
  I don't think this novel of his is written all that well.

Usage notes

非常 can be repeated (非常非常精彩); 十分 cannot be repeated.
不 can be added before 十分 (不十分好); it cannot be added before 非常.
Do not stack two degree adverbs like 非常特别; 特别 goes before the degree component: 睡得特别晚.

Common mistakes

~~这场杂技表演十分十分精彩。~~
这场杂技表演非常非常精彩。
十分 cannot be repeated
~~我觉得他这篇小说写得不非常好。~~
我觉得他这篇小说写得不十分好。
do not add 不 before 非常
~~星期六晚上我都特别睡得晚。~~
星期六晚上我都睡得特别晚。
特别 goes before the degree component
~~学校里的花开得非常特别好看。~~
校园里的花开得非常好看。
do not stack two degree adverbs

Practice

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