How to say “not very” in Chinese with 不太 (bù tài)
不太 (bù tài) + Adj.
Expressing "not very" with "不太 (bù tài)"
不太 (bù tài) + Adj.
HSK 1Adverbs with AdjectivesExpressing "not very" with "不太 (bù tài)"
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 不 (bù). 不太 (bù tài) is placed directly before the adjective it refers to.
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 不 (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.
Examples
我今天不太舒服。
Wǒ jīntiān bù tài shūfu.
I don't feel very well today.
Build the sentence
Drag the characters to put them in the correct order
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.
Tomyo
Learn Chinese grammar with smart reviews
Grammar explanations, exercises and spaced repetition — all in one app.
More HSK 1 grammar rules
Asking about degree with "多 (duō)"
Subj. + 多 (duō) + Adj.?
"A is B" with "是 (shì)"
A + 是 (shì) + B
Directional verbs "来 (lái)" and "去 (qù)"
来 (lái) / 去 (qù) + Place
Structure of days of the week with "星期 (xīngqī)"
星期 (xīngqī) + Number
Time words and word order
Subj. + Time … / Time + Subj. …
Expressing actions in progress with "在 (zài)"
(正 (zhèng)) 在 (zài) + Verb
Expressing "will" with "会 (huì)"
会 (huì) + Verb
Indicating location with "在 (zài)" before verbs
Subj. + 在 (zài) + Place + Verb
