How to say “not very” in Chinese with 不太 (bù tài)

(bù tài) + Adj.

Expressing "not very" with "不太 (bù tài)"

HSK 1Adverbs with Adjectives

Rule structure

The construction 不太 (bù tài) + Adjective is used for a softened negation of a quality. It conveys the meaning of "not very," "not too," or "not particularly," making the statement less absolute and more polite compared to the direct negation using (bù). 不太 (bù tài) is placed directly before the adjective it refers to.

Examples

我今天不太舒服。

Wǒ jīntiān bù tài shūfu.

I don't feel very well today.

Practice

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Frequently asked questions

How do you express “Expressing "not very" with "不太 (bù tài)"” in Chinese?

Use the structure: 不太 (bù tài) + Adj.. For example: 我今天不太舒服。 — “I don't feel very well today.”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

我今天不太舒服。 — “I don't feel very well today.”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 1.

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