Adjective Predicate Sentence in Chinese
形容词谓语句
Chinese adjectives can serve directly as predicates without a copular verb. In a neutral positive statement, 很 often appears before a one-syllable or gradable adjective and may have little emphatic force. Questions and contrasts can omit 很, while stronger degree words such as 非常, 真, or 太 express their own meanings.
Published July 21, 2026
Reviewed July 21, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Subject + Degree + Adjective
Read the structure
Chinese adjectives can serve directly as predicates without a copular verb. In a neutral positive statement, 很 often appears before a one-syllable or gradable adjective and may have little emphatic force. Questions and contrasts can omit 很, while stronger degree words such as 非常, 真, or 太 express their own meanings. Keep the model Subject + Degree + Adjective visible while you compare each sentence.
这个房间很干净。
This room is clean.
Choose the right context
Give a neutral description: 房间很干净。 Ask with 吗 without 很: 房间干净吗？ Use a meaningful degree word when the degree matters: 今天非常冷。
今天非常冷。
It is very cold today.
Respect the boundary
Do not copy English word order by inserting 是 before every adjective. Do not leave degree adverbs such as 很 without a following adjective. Do not put the adjective after a sentence-final particle or after the sentence has already ended.
这个房间很。
(This room is very.)
Repair the pattern
The degree adverb has no adjective complement: 很 needs a following adjective such as 干净 to complete the predicate. The adjective is placed after the sentence-final particle: The adjective belongs directly after 很; sentence-final 了 cannot split the predicate.
这个房间很干净。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
这个房间很干净。
This room is clean.
这个
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
房间
Degree
This part occupies the Degree position in the model pattern.
很
Adjective
This part occupies the Adjective position in the model pattern.
干净
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
这个房间很干净。
This room is clean.
今天非常冷。
It is very cold today.
她高兴吗？
Is she happy?
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Give a neutral description: 房间很干净。
- Ask with 吗 without 很: 房间干净吗？
- Use a meaningful degree word when the degree matters: 今天非常冷。
Do not use it when
- Do not copy English word order by inserting 是 before every adjective.
- Do not leave degree adverbs such as 很 without a following adjective.
- Do not put the adjective after a sentence-final particle or after the sentence has already ended.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
这个房间很。
这个房间很干净。
The degree adverb has no adjective complement
很 needs a following adjective such as 干净 to complete the predicate.
今天天气很了冷。
今天天气很冷。
The adjective is placed after the sentence-final particle
The adjective belongs directly after 很; sentence-final 了 cannot split the predicate.
这个房间很。
Add the adjective that 很 modifies.
今天天气很了冷。
Keep 很冷 together: 今天天气很冷。
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 形容词谓语句.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 形容词谓语句. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
Adjective Predicate Sentence Questions
Does 很 always mean very?
Not always. In a neutral positive adjective sentence, 很 can make the predicate sound complete without adding strong emphasis.
Can an adjective predicate appear without 很?
Yes, especially in questions, comparisons, contrasts, and contexts with another degree expression. The interpretation depends on context.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.
Ross, Ma, Chen, He and Yeh · Routledge · 2024
Locator: Construction index and function chapters relevant to 形容词谓语句
Supports the learner-facing account of where 形容词谓语句 appears and what communicative job it performs.
Official sourceChinese: A Comprehensive Grammar, 2nd ed.
Yip and Rimmington · Routledge · 2016
Locator: Relevant sentence and clause chapters for 形容词谓语句
Cross-checks the Subject + Degree + Adjective pattern, clause relationship, and limits represented by the reviewed examples.
Official sourceChinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: Appendix A, Level 1 grammar inventory
Supports directory placement at HSK 1; it does not independently prove usage rules.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
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的/得/地的 vs 得 vs 地 (the three de)
Use adjective predicates as the base for adding modifiers and complements.
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比The 比 (bǐ) Comparison
Compare a direct adjective predicate with one embedded in a 比 construction.
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形容词性短语Adjective Phrases and Their Sentence Roles
Compare a direct adjective predicate with the broader phrase-level functions it can fill.
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副词可表示强调Emphatic Adverb 可
Add emphatic 可 before an adjective predicate in spoken evaluation.
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