病得很重
The English phrase 'very sick' in Chinese is 病得很重.
You can also use several other forms to specify the nature of the sickness: 病得好重 describes being sick to a serious extent, 病得好厲害 describes being sick to an intense extent and 病得好嚴重 describes being sick to a very severe extent.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 病得很重 is composed of the verb 病 (sick/ill), the structural particle 得 (used to link a verb to a complement of degree) and the adjective 重 (heavy/serious).
Which one should you use?
While 病得很重 describes the severity of an illness, the phrase 生病了 simply describes the state of having become ill without specifying intensity. Additionally, 病得不轻 is a common idiomatic way to say someone is very sick by using a double negative (not light).
How does it change in a sentence?
Replacing the adjective 重 (heavy) with 厉害 (severe/fierce) in the phrase 病得厉害 is a common way to express that an illness is very severe or intense.
Did you know?
- When someone is 'very sick' in a way that implies they are near death, Chinese speakers may avoid the direct phrase 病得很重 and instead use euphemisms to avoid bringing bad luck.
- While 病得很重 describes physical illness, the word 病 is also used in 心病 to describe a 'sickness of the heart' or a deep-seated emotional obsession that one cannot let go of.
- While English speakers often say they are 'feeling' sick, Chinese speakers often use the verb 生 (to be born or to grow) in the phrase 生病 to describe the process of a sickness occurring.
Examples in context
- 他这次病得很重。Tā zhè cì bìng de hěn zhòng.He is very sick this time.
- 奶奶最近病得很重。Nǎinai zuìjìn bìng de hěn zhòng.Grandmother has been very sick lately.
- 如果你病得很重，就去医院吧。Rúguǒ nǐ bìng de hěn zhòng, jiù qù yīyuàn ba.If you are very sick, go to the hospital.
Example conversation
Raining outside, Yuting asks Junjie about his brother's health.
- 雨婷 Yuting你哥哥怎么样了？Nǐ gēge zěnmeyàng le?How is your brother?
- 俊杰 Junjie他现在病得很重。Tā xiànzài bìng de hěn zhòng.He is very sick right now.
- 雨婷 Yuting需要我帮忙吗？Xūyào wǒ bāngmáng ma?Do you need any help?
- 俊杰 Junjie谢谢，目前不需要。Xièxiè, mùqián bù xūyào.Thanks, I don't need any right now.
