AdjectivesHSK 4
Expressing "not very" with 不怎么
Use 不怎么 before an adjective or psychological verb to mildly express 'not very'. This structure is indirect and softens the tone compared to a plain 不 negation.
Structure
Subj. + 不怎么 + Adj. / [Psychological Verb]
Examples
- 最近不怎么忙。Zuì jìn bù zěn me máng.It hasn't been very busy lately.
- 这里的冬天不怎么冷。Zhè lǐ de dōng tiān bù zěn me lěng.It's not very cold here in winter.
- 那家餐厅不怎么干净。Nà jiā cān tīng bù zěn me gān jìng.That restaurant isn't very clean.
- 我不怎么喜欢咖啡。Wǒ bù zěn me xǐ huan kā fēi.I'm not very into coffee.
- 他去美国一年多了，不过不怎么想家。Tā qù měi guó yì nián duō le, bú guò bù zěn me xiǎng jiā.He's been in the USA for more than one year, but he's not very homesick.