很

hěn

彳 + 艮

HSK 2.0Level 1

HSK 3.0Level 1

Definitions

hěn (adverb) very; quite; rather

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 彳 represents the meaning and 艮 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "go against". The meaning later shifted to "fight", "ruthless", "extraordinary", and "very". Etymologically related to 狠.

Semantic: 彳 Phonetic: 艮

About

很 is a phono-semantic compound: the left radical 彳 ('step') hints at an action, while the right component 艮 (gèn) gives the sound. Originally, it meant 'to go against' or 'defy', a meaning associated with stubbornness, which later extended to 'fierce' and 'ruthless' (as in the etymologically related 狠), and even to 'extraordinary'. Through semantic bleaching, the character lost these concrete associations and transformed into a common adverb of degree, 'very' or 'quite'. In modern usage, it frequently acts as a functional link between subjects and adjectives, often carrying less emphatic force than its literal translation suggests.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他是一个很好的人。

Tā shì yī gè hěn hǎo de rén.

He is a very good person.

这本书很有趣。

Zhè běn shū hěn yǒuqù.

This book is very interesting.

今天天气很好。

Jīntiān tiānqì hěn hǎo.

The weather is very good today.

她很高兴见到你。

Tā hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ.

She is very happy to see you.

这个地方很安静。

Zhè gè dìfāng hěn ānjìng.

This place is very quiet.

我很久没有去那里了。

Wǒ hěn jiǔ méiyǒu qù nàlǐ le.

I haven't been there for a long time.

他学习很努力，成绩也很好。

Tā xuéxí hěn nǔlì, chéngjì yě hěn hǎo.

He studies very hard, and his grades are also very good.

我对这个结果感到很满意。

Wǒ duì zhège jiéguǒ gǎndào hěn mǎnyì.

I feel very satisfied with this result.

Related Characters

Component: 彳

Component: 艮

很