328 Chinese adjectives & useful examples: An advanced guide

There’s no easier way to level up your Chinese fluency than with the right adjectives in Chinese.

Learning Chinese is a long process, so it’s important to celebrate small wins along the way. Learning some adjectives is a great way to take your Chinese skills from elementary to pro levels as you learn how to beautifully describe your nouns and pronouns in Chinese. Let’s take a look at an example to illustrate this.

Here’s what a sentence without adjectives looks like:

• 一个男人进了房间，坐在了椅子上。
• yí gè nán rén jìn le fáng jiān, zuò zài le yǐ zi shàng.
• A man entered the room and sat on the chair.

Now here’s what a sentence with adjectives could look like:

• 一个满头银发的高个子男人，慢慢地走进昏暗的房间，小心翼翼地坐在了摇摇晃晃的木椅上。
• yí gè mǎn tóu yín fà de gāo gè zi nán rén , màn màn de zǒu jìn hūn àn de fáng jiān, xiǎo xīn yì yì de zuò zài le yáo yáo huàng huàng de mù yǐ shàng.
• The tall man with a head full of silver hair slowly walked into the dimly lit room and carefully sat on the rickety wooden chair.

See how big of a difference adjectives can make? It can take you from Chinese 101 to something out of a movie scene.

So, how do you actually use adjectives in Chinese? The answer is quite simple. In this blog, we’ll show you the most common grammar patterns of how to use adjectives, as well as a giant list of 328 adjectives in Chinese. Once you’re done, you’ll have no problem describing almost anything you want in Chinese!

Table of contents

• How to use adjectives in Chinese?
• Chinese grammar patterns for adjectives
• A giant list of Chinese adjectives
• Adjective synonyms
• Adjective antonyms
• Conclusion

How to use adjectives in Chinese?

Adjectives in Chinese are called 形容词 (xíng róng cí) and using them is both fun and easy once you get the hang of it. Unlike other languages like English or Spanish, Chinese adjectives don’t change form in gender or number, which is a relief!

Here, the particle 的 serves as a connector between the adjective and the noun. For example, 红红的苹果 (hóng hóng de píng guǒ) means apple being very red.

And that’s it! It’s as easy as that. This is the basic structure, although Chinese offers various ways to intensify or modify adjectives. Let’s take a look at some of them below:

Using the adverb "不" for negations

In Chinese, the adverb 不 (bù) is commonly used to negate adjectives. It’s placed directly before the adjective it modifies, making it a very simple structure: 不 + adjective = not what the adjective represents.

For example, 不好 (bù hǎo) means “not good.” For adjectives with two syllables, 不 is typically placed before the entire adjective. For example, 漂亮 (piào liang) becomes 不漂亮 (bú piào liang), means “not pretty.”

However, it’s worth noting that some adjectives have specific antonyms that do not contain 不. For example, the antonym of 好 is 坏. We’ll include a section on antonyms at the end of the article to give you more examples of these cases!

Example sentences using the adverb "不" for negations

Using the adverb "很" for modification

The adverb 很 (hěn) is used to denote “very” in most situations, although it can also serve as a general intensifier without necessarily implying intensity. How could this be? That’s because, when used in the noun + 很 + adjective structure, it can simply serve as a link between the noun and the adjective without necessarily adding a strong emphasis. If you do want to add a strong emphasis, you can use 非常 (fēi cháng) or 特别 (tè bié) instead of 很.

When using 很 with adjectives:

1. Place 很 directly before the adjective it modifies.
2. For two-syllable adjectives, 很 comes before the entire adjective.
3. In some contexts, 很 can be omitted, but its inclusion often makes sentences sound more natural.

Example sentences using the adverb "很" for modification

Adjective reduplication

Adjective reduplication in Chinese is a common and expressive way to intensify or soften an adjective's meaning. It works exactly as it sounds — you simply repeat the adjective to achieve a more intense, casual, or cute tone, depending on the context.

There are a few patterns of adjective reduplication:

1. AA pattern: Simple one-character adjectives are repeated. For example, 红红 (hóng hóng), which means “very red.”
2. AABB pattern: Two-character adjectives are fully repeated. Example: 漂漂亮亮 “piào piào liang liang), which means “very pretty.”
3. ABB pattern: The second character of a two-character adjective is repeated. For example,暖洋洋 (nuǎn yáng yáng), which means “very warm.”
4. A里AB: Used for some two-character adjectives. For example, 古里古怪 (gǔ lǐ gǔ guài), which means “very strange.”

Example sentences using adjective reduplication

Differences between Chinese and English adjectives

Although adjectives in Chinese and English serve the same purpose, there are a few major differences worth keeping an eye on.

• Placement: In English, adjectives typically come before nouns. In Chinese, they can come before nouns with the particle 的 or after the verb 是 or adverbs like 很.
• Comparison: English uses suffixes like “-er” or “more” for comparatives. Chinese uses words like 比 (bǐ) or 更 (gèng) in comparative structures.
• Predicate function: Chinese adjectives can function as predicates without a linking verb, while English usually requires “to be.”
• Intensification: Chinese often uses character doubling for emphasis, while English relies on adverbs like “very” or “extremely.”
• No changes: Chinese adjectives don’t change in form in gender, number, or case, unlike some English or Spanish adjectives.

Chinese grammar patterns for adjectives

Let’s go over a few helpful grammar patterns for adjectives in Chinese so you can add a little extra sauce to your sentences:

Adjectives with 死了 (sǐ le)

Using adjectives with 死了 (sǐ le) is a colloquial way to emphasize the intensity of a quality or state in Chinese. It literally means “to death,” but it’s used figuratively to mean “extremely.” To use this structure, simply place the adjective before 死了.

This structure works best with adjectives describing feelings or states that can be experienced intensely, like tiredness, hunger, or boredom. It’s commonly used in casual conversation among friends or in informal writing. This structure is best avoided in formal situations or when speaking to elders or superiors.

Example sentences of adjectives with 死了

Adjectives with 极了 (jí le)

Using adjectives with 极了 (jí le) is another way to emphasize the extreme degree of quality in Chinese. It’s similar to using “extremely” in English. To use this structure, simply place 极了 after the adjective. It’s less informal than 死了 and can be used in a wider range of situations, including semiformal contexts.

This pattern works well with many adjectives, especially those describing emotions, states, or qualities. It’s a great way to add emphasis without sounding too colloquial or dramatic. 极了 literally means “to the extreme,” giving a sense of reaching the highest point of quality.

One cool thing about 极了 is that it can be used with both positive and negative adjectives, making it quite versatile. It’s a handy tool for expressing your feelings or opinions with a bit of extra oomph!

Example sentences of adjectives with 极了

Indicating the whole with 全 (quán)

The character 全 (quán) is a handy little word that means “whole” or “entire.” It’s great for emphasizing that something applies to every part of something or everyone in a group. You can use it before nouns or as part of compound adjectives to give that “all-encompassing” feel to your descriptions.

What’s cool about 全 is how versatile it is. You can slap it in front of body parts, groups of people, or even abstract concepts. 全 can be used in both formal or written contexts and everyday casual speech.

Example sentences of adjectives with 全

Adjectival complement 得不得了 (de bù dé liǎo)

This is a fun and expressive way to amp up your adjectives in Chinese. It’s like saying “extremely” but with a dash of colloquial flair. To use it, just slap it after an adjective and voilà! This phrase is very versatile and works with all sorts of adjectives, whether you’re talking about how delicious that street food was or how mind-bogglingly difficult your math homework is. It’s casual enough for everyday chat but not so slangy that you can’t use it in most situations.

One cool thing about 得不得了 (de bù dé liǎo) is how it literally translates to “to the point of being unable to be more so.” It’s like saying something is so [adjective] that it can’t possibly be any more [adjective]. Talk about maxing out the intensity!

Example sentences of adjectives with 得不得了

Adjectival complement 得很 (de hěn)

The adjectival complement 得很 is part of a very helpful sentence structure in Chinese that emphasizes the degree of an adjective. To use it, you simply pop 得很 after an adjective. It’s pretty straightforward, and this structure works with a wide range of adjectives. It can also soften the tone a bit compared to other intensifiers. It’s not as strong as 死了 or 极了, but it still gets the point across.

Example sentences of adjectives with 得很

A giant list of Chinese adjectives

Now that you’re armed with a few grammar structures, you’re ready to start adding some new adjectives to your vocabulary. We’ve got over 100 adjectives in Mandarin for you, and we’re breaking them down by categories and following up with some sample sentences. So, dig in and pick up some new adjectives!

Describing personality

Personality adjectives in Chinese are great for describing people’s character traits. These words can help you describe your best friend, coworkers, family, or even yourself, helping you build a solid foundation of Chinese language skills.

Example sentences to describe personality

Describing physical traits

These adjectives will put your imagination to use, as they use vivid imagery to paint a picture of what or who you’re trying to describe. Keep an eye out for how some of these can be used to describe both physical and personality traits.

What needs a special note is that these words should be used with discretion in daily conversations. Similar to many English-speaking contexts, using certain words from the list to describe a person’s figure (such as “fat” or “short”) can sometimes be perceived as inappropriate or offensive as well.

Example sentences to describe physical traits

Describing feelings

Chinese has a rich vocabulary for expressing emotions, including some concepts that don’t have direct English equivalents. These are super useful for personal conversations and understanding Chinese media better.

Example sentences to describe feelings

Describing value

Value adjectives reflect cultural attitudes and are key for expressing opinions. Watch out for how their meanings can change slightly depending on context. Master these, and you’ll be dishing out opinions like a full-time TV commentator!

Example sentences to describe value

Describing colors

Knowing the colors in Chinese is one thing, but using these color adjectives will allow you to describe anything like a real artist. These adjectives give additional depth and nuance to colors, letting you paint an even clearer picture.

Example sentences using Chinese adjectives to describe colors

Describing shapes, sizes, and textures

From circles to polygons, thick to thin, Chinese has you covered when it comes to describing shapes and sizes. And no, these aren’t just words that you’d use in your geometry class. For example, they can help you describe that delicious dumpling you just ate or your beloved pet back home.

Example sentences using Chinese adjectives to describe shapes, sizes, and textures

Describing taste

Whether you’re looking to enjoy some delicious Chinese cuisine or want to describe food in Chinese, you’ll definitely want to learn the following adjectives for describing taste. Plus, some of these words do double duty, describing personalities or situations metaphorically. It’s a flavorful way to spice up your Chinese!

Example sentences to describe taste

Describing a situation

These types of adjectives are crucial (wink) for discussing daily life and current events. Many are compound words, combining simpler concepts to create more complex meanings.

Example sentences to describe a situation

Describing appearances

Appearance adjectives in Chinese will help you describe the things you’ve seen. Interestingly, some might have different connotations than their English counterparts, giving you a glimpse into cultural differences in aesthetic values.

Example sentences to describe appearance

Adjectives for describing qualities

These are extremely important for expressing opinions and making comparisons. Here’s a cool thing about them: many Chinese quality adjectives can function as both adjectives and adverbs without changing form. It’s different from English, where, for example, you can sa, “this flavor is good” but you have to say, “he cooks well”, while you can use 好 in Chinese for both situations.

Example sentences to describe qualities

Chinese adjective synonyms

Now that you’ve learned so many adjectives, you should be familiar with the ones that have similar or identical meanings. The following synonyms are important to learn, as although their meaning might seem identical at first, there are subtle nuances that differentiate them:

Chinese adjective antonyms

Of course, we can’t talk about synonyms without mentioning antonyms in Chinese! These are some of the most common adjectives and their antonyms:

Use your adjectives in Mandarin to tell the most vivid stories

There you have it! Now you’ve learned 328 adjectives in Chinese, along with some of the most common grammar structures for adjectives. Although it might be a new experience for you, don’t be shy to experiment with some of these fun and colorful adjectives. With enough practice, you’ll start describing things with the clarity and imagination of a Pulitzer winner!

If you enjoyed this blog, make sure to check out the rest of our Mandarin content. We regularly publish new articles, like our guide to Chinese names and Chinese characters. No matter your Chinese level, you’re sure to learn something new!