Usage of 非常
'非常' is a common adverb used to intensify adjectives or verbs, meaning 'very' or 'really'. It is more formal and stronger than just '很' (hěn), often used in written and spoken Chinese to emphasize degree.
Common contexts
It frequently appears before adjectives describing feelings, conditions, or importance, such as '非常好' (very good), '非常重要' (very important), or '非常冷' (very cold). It can also modify verbs to express strong effort or gratitude.
Collocations and patterns
- 非常 + adjective: to emphasize the adjective's intensity (e.g., 非常高兴 - very happy).
- 非常 + verb + 得 + complement: to stress the manner or degree of an action (e.g., 非常努力地工作 - work very hard).
- 非常 + noun (less common): usually in fixed expressions like 非常感谢 (thank you very much).
Nuances
Using 非常 adds a formal and emphatic tone compared to other intensifiers like 很. It is suitable in both casual and formal contexts but can sound too strong if overused in casual speech.
Common confusion
Do not confuse 非常 with 非常 (emergency) as a noun; here it functions as an adverb. Also, avoid mixing 非常 with 极 (jí), which also means 'extremely' but can carry a slightly different tone or register.