3 · Complements after the verb
Extremely: jíle, sǐle, huàile
strong degree complements
After an adjective, jíle, de hěn, sǐle or huàile push it to an extreme.
To say “extremely”, Chinese can place the intensifier after the adjective instead of before it: 好极了, “excellent”; 累死了, “dead tired”; 饿坏了, “starving”; 贵得很, “really expensive”. These forms are stronger and livelier than 很 or 非常 in front.
Each has its own colour. 极了 is the safe choice, at home in speech and writing, and often used for good things. 得很 is emphatic and conversational. 死了 is an exaggeration, very colloquial, and mostly about things that are unpleasant: 热, 累, 忙, 烦. 坏了 goes with feelings and bodily states that hurt: 急, 饿, 累, 吓.
The 了 in 极了, 死了 and 坏了 is part of the form and cannot be dropped. And because these complements already say “extremely”, nothing goes in front of the adjective: not 很, not 非常, not 太. They are not negated either.
One pair is easy to mix up. 好得很 means “very good”; 好得多 means “much better” and needs something to be better than. And 死 and 坏 after an action verb are often meant literally: 摔坏 means that something really broke.
The form
| extremely (the safe choice) | 这儿的风景美极了。 |
| very (emphatic, spoken) | 这个菜好吃得很。 |
| to death (exaggerated) | 今天热死了。 |
| badly (feelings, the body) | 孩子饿坏了。 |
| much more (a comparison) | 今天比昨天好得多。 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
极了, 死了 and 坏了 come straight after the adjective, and the 了 belongs to them.
听到这个消息，她高兴极了。She was overjoyed to hear the news.
得很 after an adjective is an emphatic “very”, common in speech.
这条街热闹得很。This street is really lively.
死了 exaggerates, mostly about something unpleasant, and belongs to casual speech.
今天忙死了，连饭都没时间吃。I'm run off my feet today — I haven't even had time to eat.
Nothing goes in front of the adjective: no 很, no 非常.
这次旅行好玩儿极了。This trip was tremendous fun.
得很 means “very”; 得多 means “much more” and needs a comparison.
我现在好得很，你别担心。I'm absolutely fine now — don't worry.
A closer look
Choosing the right one
Register decides more than meaning. 极了 can go into a letter or an essay. 得很 is what people say. 死了 is for friends and family, and in formal writing it sounds childish or rude. 坏了 sits in between and is the natural choice when a person, rather than a thing, is affected: 孩子吓坏了, “the child was terrified”.
死了 is not only for complaints. Said with a smile, it exaggerates good feelings too: 高兴死了, “over the moon”, 好吃死了, “unbelievably tasty”. And 坏了 works with joy as well: 乐坏了, “thrilled to bits”.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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死 or 坏 follows an action verb rather than an adjective or a feeling
it is usually a result complement and meant literally.
我的手机摔坏了。My phone broke when I dropped it.
An action verb with 坏 describes what happened to the object, not how strong a feeling was.
How to spot it
- 极了
- 得很
- 死了
- 坏了
Example sentences
走了一天的路，我累死了。I've been walking all day — I'm dead tired.
你做的饺子好吃极了！The dumplings you made are absolutely delicious!
孩子一天没回家，妈妈急坏了。The child didn't come home all day, and the mother was frantic.
他这个人聪明得很。He is a very clever man.
别说了，烦死了！Stop it — you're driving me mad!
拿到签证的时候，她高兴坏了。When she got her visa, she was beside herself with joy.
7 more example sentences
外面冷死了，多穿点儿衣服。It's freezing outside — put something warm on.
这个主意好极了！That is a brilliant idea!
一天没吃东西，我饿坏了。I haven't eaten all day — I'm starving.
这件衣服贵得很，你别买了。This is terribly expensive — don't buy it.
那只狗突然叫起来，我吓坏了。The dog suddenly started barking and I got a terrible fright.
他的房间乱得很。His room is in a real mess.
考试通过了，我高兴死了！I passed the exam — I'm over the moon!
Worth knowing (1)
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I have missed you terribly
With 想, “to miss”, 死 can come before the person missed and 了 after: 想死你了. It is warm and playful, the kind of thing said at an airport arrival gate.
好久不见，想死你了！Long time no see — I've missed you so much!
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
Learners who have been told that an adjective needs 很 keep it out of habit. But 极了 already says “extremely”, and 很 in front makes the degree say itself twice. Choose one: 今天很热 or 今天热极了.
Jíle, de hěn, sǐle, huàile: the intensifier goes after the adjective, and hěn stays out.
Your turn
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