When do I use 很 vs 挺?

Use 很 as a neutral 'very' in both speech and writing, especially when no special subjective feeling is needed. Use 挺 in casual conversation to express 'quite' or 'pretty' with a personal, softer tone. 挺 is common in daily talk but avoid it in formal writing.

Is 挺 always followed by 的?

No. 挺 is an adverb and can be placed directly before an adjective (e.g., 挺远 'quite far'). Adding 的 at the end (e.g., 挺远的) is optional and adds a subjective, evaluative feel. Both forms are grammatical and standard.

Can I use 很 to mean 'very' strongly?

Yes, but in simple affirmatives like 很好, the 'very' meaning is often weak unless stressed or context implies emphasis. For a strong 'very', use adverbs like 非常 (fēicháng) or 特别 (tèbié). In contrast, 挺 always carries a moderate 'quite' meaning.

Easily confusedHSK 3

很 vs 挺 (hěn vs tǐng): degree adverbs with different strengths

很 (very) and 挺 (quite) are both degree adverbs used before adjectives and verbs, but 挺 carries a colloquial, subjective 'quite' sense, often softened with 的, while 很 is neutral and more versatile. 挺 does not require 的 and is perfectly grammatical without it, though adding 的 adds an evaluative tone.

很 and 挺 are both used to modify adjectives and verbs to indicate degree, but they differ in intensity and register. 很 is a neutral adverb meaning 'very' and is the default choice in most contexts, including formal writing. 挺 means 'quite' or 'pretty' and is common in spoken Chinese; it often appears with 的 at the end of the sentence to express a subjective or evaluative remark, though the 的 is optional. Understanding when to use each helps learners sound natural and correct in Mandarin.

使い分け

很hěn

very

很 is used as a neutral degree adverb to link an adjective to a subject in affirmative statements. It is the standard choice in both speech and writing, especially when no special emotional or colloquial tone is needed. In simple affirmatives, 很 often serves as a copula-like link without strong emphasis on 'very', but it can carry emphasis with stress or context.

In simple affirmatives like 很好 (hěn hǎo), 很 may not convey strong 'very' meaning but is grammatically required to link the adjective; actual intensity depends on intonation or additional adverbs like 非常.

挺tǐng

quite

挺 is a colloquial degree adverb meaning 'quite' or 'pretty', indicating a moderate degree with a personal, subjective flavor. It is common in spoken Chinese and casual writing. 挺 can be used directly before an adjective (e.g., 挺大 'quite big') or with 的 at the end of the sentence (e.g., 挺大的) to add an evaluative or softer tone. The 的 is optional but frequent in everyday speech.

The 的 in 挺...的 structures softens the judgment, making it sound less assertive and more conversational. Without 的, 挺 still expresses a moderate degree but sounds more straightforward. 挺 is not used in formal contexts and cannot be negated directly.

ひと目で分かる

	很	挺
Strength	Neutral 'very'	Moderate 'quite/pretty'
Formality	Neutral to formal	Colloquial
Optional 的	Not used	Often ends with 的 for subjective tone (optional)
Use in negative	Can be negated with 不 (e.g., 不很好)	Cannot be negated directly; use 不太 instead

例文

很
他很忙。
Tā hěn máng.
He is very busy.
Neutral statement; 很 links the adjective.
挺
这个菜挺好吃。
Zhè ge cài tǐng hǎo chī.
This dish is pretty tasty.
挺 without 的 — perfectly grammatical and standard.
挺
这个地方挺安静的。
Zhè ge dì fāng tǐng ān jìng de.
This place is quite quiet.
挺 with 的 adds a subjective, evaluative tone.
很
他的中文很好。
Tā de zhōng wén hěn hǎo.
His Chinese is very good.
Neutral — suitable for any register.
挺
他的中文挺好的。
Tā de zhōng wén tǐng hǎo de.
His Chinese is pretty good.
Subjective and casual — implies a personal judgment.
挺
他挺很好。
Tā tǐng hěn hǎo.
He is pretty very good.
✗ Incorrect — degree adverbs cannot combine.

よくある間違い

Using 挺 in formal writing: 很 is preferred in formal contexts.
Falsely believing 挺 must always be followed by 的: 挺 + adjective without 的 is correct and common.
Negating 挺 directly (e.g., 不挺大): use 不太大 or 不很大 instead.
Combining 很 and 挺 together (e.g., 挺很忙): ungrammatical as two degree adverbs cannot modify the same adjective.
Overusing 很 in simple affirmatives without understanding its weakened role: in '主语 + 很 + adjective', 很 often just links, not emphasizes.

よくある質問

When do I use 很 vs 挺?: Use 很 as a neutral 'very' in both speech and writing, especially when no special subjective feeling is needed. Use 挺 in casual conversation to express 'quite' or 'pretty' with a personal, softer tone. 挺 is common in daily talk but avoid it in formal writing.
Is 挺 always followed by 的?: No. 挺 is an adverb and can be placed directly before an adjective (e.g., 挺远 'quite far'). Adding 的 at the end (e.g., 挺远的) is optional and adds a subjective, evaluative feel. Both forms are grammatical and standard.
Can I use 很 to mean 'very' strongly?: Yes, but in simple affirmatives like 很好, the 'very' meaning is often weak unless stressed or context implies emphasis. For a strong 'very', use adverbs like 非常 (fēicháng) or 特别 (tèbié). In contrast, 挺 always carries a moderate 'quite' meaning.