真 vs 很 (zhēn vs hěn): expressing 'really' vs 'very'
真 (zhēn) conveys genuine emotion, surprise, or emphasis — it means 'really' and carries a subjective, exclamatory tone. 很 (hěn) is a neutral degree adverb meaning 'very' and is used objectively to modify adjectives without strong feeling. Choosing between them depends on whether you want to express personal involvement or simply state a quality.
真 and 很 both modify adjectives, but they differ in emotional weight and usage. 真 injects the speaker's genuine reaction, often in exclamations (e.g., 真好吃 'really delicious'), while 很 serves as a default degree adverb that sounds neutral and matter-of-fact (e.g., 很好吃 'very delicious'). 真 can also modify verbs of action or intention (e.g., 真去 'really go'), whereas 很 rarely modifies verbs directly except in set patterns like 很喜欢 'like very much'.
When to use each
Use 真 before adjectives or verbs when you want to express a strong, personal feeling, surprise, or exclamation. It is often used in positive or negative exclamatory sentences (e.g., 真漂亮 'really beautiful') and can also mean 'truly' with action verbs (e.g., 真去 'really go').
In questions (e.g., 真的吗？), 真 means 'really/true', not a degree; it is distinct from the adverb 真 before adjectives.
Use 很 before adjectives as a neutral degree marker, often required to avoid a comparative reading. It carries no strong emotion and is the standard way to say 'very' in declarative statements (e.g., 很好 'very good'). 很 can also appear before some psychological verbs (e.g., 很喜欢 'like very much').
In spoken Chinese, 很 is sometimes dropped – a bare adjective like '好' can mean 'good' but implies comparison (e.g., 他好 'he is good (compared to others)'). Adding 很 makes it a neutral statement.
At a glance
| 真 | 很 | |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional tone | Subjective, exclamatory, emphasizes speaker's emotion | Neutral, objective, matter-of-fact |
| Use with adjectives | Expresses 'really/so' (e.g., 真大 'really big') | Expresses 'very' (e.g., 很大 'very big') |
| Use with verbs | Can modify action verbs (e.g., 真去 'really go') | Only modifies attitude/emotion verbs (e.g., 很喜欢, 很讨厌) |
| Negation | 不太真… (uncommon; use 真不 for 'really not') | 不很 + adjective (e.g., 不很好 'not very good') |
| Occurrence in questions | 真 + adj. in affirmative questions (e.g., 真这么贵吗？) | 很 + adj. rarely in questions, usually 很…吗？is possible but sounds neutral |
Examples
- 真这家店的菜真好吃。Zhè jiā diàn de cài zhēn hǎo chī.The food at this restaurant is really delicious.Expresses genuine speaker exclamation about the taste.
- 很这家店的菜很好吃。Zhè jiā diàn de cài hěn hǎo chī.The food at this restaurant is very delicious.Neutral statement; no strong emotion implied.
- 真明天你真的去吗？Míngtiān nǐ zhēn de qù ma?Are you really going tomorrow?真 modifies the verb 去 with emphasis on truthfulness.
- 很他很高，但是我不高。Tā hěn gāo, dànshì wǒ bù gāo.He is very tall, but I am not tall.很 here makes the statement sound neutral, not emotional.
- 真你做得真棒！Nǐ zuò de zhēn bàng!You did a really great job!Exclamatory praise.
- 很这个电影很有意思。Zhège diànyǐng hěn yǒuyìsi.This movie is very interesting.Standard neutral statement; no exclamation.
Common mistakes
- Using 很 in exclamatory contexts where 真 is expected: e.g., '很漂亮！' sounds flat – use 真漂亮 for surprise.
- Using 真 before psychological verbs like '喜欢' as a neutral statement: e.g., '我真喜欢他' adds emotional weight; use 很喜欢 for neutral 'like very much'.
- Omitting 很 before adjectives and making a comparative implication: e.g., '他好' is often interpreted as 'he is better (than others)' – add 很 for neutral 'he is good'.
- Using 真 with an action verb but without 的 (de) in standard affirmative statements: e.g., '我真去' is acceptable but '我真的去' is more common for clarity.
FAQ
- When do I use 真 vs 很?
- Use 真 when you want to express emotion, surprise, or emphasis — it means 'really' or 'so'. Use 很 as a neutral 'very' in ordinary statements. For example, 真好吃 is an exclamation, while 很好吃 is a simple description.
- Can 真 be used before all verbs?
- Yes, 真 can appear before action verbs like 去 (go), 吃 (eat), or 做 (do) to mean 'really'. But it often pairs with 的 (de) — 真的去 — to make the meaning clearer. 很 rarely appears before action verbs; it mostly modifies adjectives or mental verbs.
- Why is 很 sometimes omitted in sentences?
- 很 can be omitted before adjectives in comparisons or in answers like '他好' meaning 'he is (the) good (one)'. But in neutral statements, adding 很 makes it sound less like a comparison. For beginners, it's safer to include 很.
- Is 真 always an adverb?
- No. 真 can also be an adjective meaning 'real/true' (e.g., 真话 'true words'), or used in the phrase 真的 (zhēn de) meaning 'really'. As an adverb before adjectives or verbs, it means 'really/truly'. Don't confuse 真 (adverb) with 真的 (adverb/adjective).