很累
hěn lèi
The English phrase "very tired" is translated into Chinese as 很累 (hěn lèi).
The phrase is used to describe feeling a great need to rest or sleep following physical or mental effort.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 很 (hěn), meaning "very" and 累 (lèi), meaning "tired".
Which one should you use?
While 很 literally means "very", in many simple sentences it functions as a grammatical marker to balance the sentence and may not always emphasize the intensity of the tiredness as strongly as "very" does in English.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, when using an adjective like 很累 as a predicate, you do not use the verb "to be" (是) before it. Instead, you use the adverb 很 to link the subject to the adjective.
How do you pronounce it?
hěn lèi
Did you know?
- To emphasize extreme fatigue, Chinese speakers often use the phrase 累死了, which literally translates to 'tired to death'.
- The character 累 (lèi) is composed of components that suggest 'accumulation' or 'stacking'. This evokes the idea of exhaustion being caused by many things piling up on you.
- Depending on the tone and context, 很累 can be used as a soft way to decline an invitation without saying 'no' directly, hinting that the speaker lacks the energy to attend.
Examples in context
- 我現在很累。I'm very tired right now.This sentence shows how to express being very tired right now using 很累.Tatoeba #5973319 by xjjAstrus, translation #5973901 by Sethlang
- 我上完课很累。I am very tired after a class.This sentence describes being very tired after a class using 很累.Tatoeba #5613688 by verdastelo9604, translation #354723 by Hautis
- 我很累，还没地方睡觉。I'm very tired and don't have a place to sleep.This sentence shows how to express being very tired without a place to sleep using 很累.Tatoeba #7774351 by jiangche, translation #7105613 by shekitten
- 我们玩得太晚了，我累得不行We played too late, and I am dead tired.
- 我累得半死，现在连说话都费劲I am tired to half-death. It's even hard for me to speak.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
浩然 just finished a long day of work and talks to 晓雯.
- 浩然 Haoran我今天工作完以后很累。Wǒ jīntiān gōngzuò wán yǐhòu hěn lèi.I am very tired after finishing work today.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那你快去休息吧。Nà nǐ kuài qù xiūxi ba.Then go get some rest quickly.
- 浩然 Haoran我想先吃点东西。Wǒ xiǎng xiān chī diǎn dōngxi.I want to eat something first.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen好，吃完再睡。Hǎo, chī wán zài shuì.Okay, sleep after you eat.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
