很硬
hěn yìng
In Chinese, 'very hard' is said as 很硬 (hěn yìng).
The phrase 很硬 is used to describe an object that is firm and not easy to bend or compress.
What does it mean word for word?
很硬 consists of the adverb 很 (hěn), meaning 'very' and the adjective 硬 (yìng), meaning 'hard'.
Which one should you use?
While 很硬 refers to physical firmness, other phrases are used for difficulty. Use 非常困难 for 'very difficult' in formal settings, 极其难 for 'extremely hard' or 'extraordinarily difficult' in formal contexts and 特别难 for 'especially difficult' in informal everyday speech. To express frustration or exasperation, use the informal 好难啊 to mean 'so hard!' or 'it's tough!'
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, adjectives like 硬 (yìng) function as predicates and do not require the verb 'to be' (是) when used with an intensifier like 很 (hěn).
How do you pronounce it?
hěn yìng
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, a 很硬 (hard) bed is often preferred for health reasons, as many people believe a firm mattress prevents back pain and promotes better posture.
- The character 硬 contains a radical related to 'stone', which visually reinforces the concept of something being solid and unyielding like a rock.
- While 很 (hěn) is translated as 'very', in the phrase 很硬 (hěn yìng) it often serves as a grammatical filler with no actual emphasis, simply making the sentence feel balanced.
Examples in context
- 這個床墊很硬。This is a very hard mattress.This sentence is useful for describing the firmness of a mattress using 很硬.Tatoeba #9046309 by xjjAstrus, translation #2268938 by _undertoad
- 他的新工作非常困难。His new job is very hard.
- 这个棋局对我来说极其难。This chess game is extremely hard for me.
- 这道数学题对我来说特别难。This math problem is especially difficult for me.
- 这本书的阅读理解好难啊！The reading comprehension in this book is so hard!
- 這塊石頭很硬。Zhè kuài shítou hěn yìng.This stone is very hard.
- 麵包已經很硬了。Miànbāo yǐjīng hěn yìng le.The bread is already very hard.
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Zihan are checking the quality of some new floor tiles.
- 志强 Zhiqiang梓涵，妳覺得這塊瓷磚怎麼樣？Zǐhán, nǐ juéde zhè kuài cízhuān zěnmeyàng?Zihan, what do you think of this tile?
- 梓涵 Zihan我覺得這塊瓷磚很硬。Wǒ juéde zhè kuài cízhuān hěn yìng.I think this tile is very hard.
- 志强 Zhiqiang沒錯，質感看起來很好。Méicuò, zhìgǎn kàn qǐlái hěn hǎo.That's right, the texture looks very good.
- 梓涵 Zihan那我們就選這款吧。Nà wǒmen jiù xuǎn zhè kuǎn ba.Then let's choose this one.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
