# Adjectival Phrases (形容词性短语) in Chinese | HSK 2 Grammar Guide | HSKReady Canonical: https://hskready.app/en/grammar/hsk-2-adjective-phrases-g040 Language: en Content ID: web-grammar-hsk-2-g040 HSK levels: 2 Updated: 2026-10-23T04:55:37.344Z Scope: published website educational content; full vocabulary, question bank and mock exams remain in the app. Learn how to form and use adjectival phrases (形容词性短语) at HSK Level 2. Understand degree modifiers, sentence roles, and why you should avoid adding 是. Grammar [HSK 2 · Phrases › Functional types › Adjective phrases](https://hskready.app/en/grammar/hsk-2#hsk-2-g040) # HSK 2 Grammar: Adjectival Phrases (形容词性短语) An adjectival phrase (形容词性短语) is a word group built around an adjective that functions as a single descriptive unit in a sentence. At HSK 2, you use these phrases to serve as the main predicate, to describe nouns with 的, or to evaluate actions after 得. Degree Adverb / Negation Adjective Example sentence 今天天气非常冷。 Jīntiān tiānqì fēicháng lěng. The weather today is extremely cold. The adjectival phrase 非常冷 (fēicháng lěng) acts directly as the predicate without needing 是. A common mistake × 今天天气是非常冷。 Jīntiān tiānqì shì fēicháng lěng. Intended: The weather today is extremely cold. Incorrect in a neutral weather description: do not insert 是 (shì) before an adjectival phrase predicate. Use the correct sentence in “今天天气非常冷。” instead. Corrected example: 今天天气非常冷。 **Read the full explanation and examples** ## What Is an Adjectival Phrase? In the official HSK 2 grammar outline, phrases are grouped by their grammatical function, and one core category is the adjectival phrase (形容词性短语). Rather than introducing a single vocabulary word, this syllabus point covers how an adjective expands into a multi-word unit while keeping the grammatical behavior of a single adjective. Adjectives often combine with degree adverbs such as 很 (hěn), 非常 (fēicháng) or 真 (zhēn), with negation such as 不太, or with another adjective. The resulting phrase acts as a unit. Bare adjectives also occur naturally, for example in questions, contrasts and exclamations; a modifier is not obligatory in every use. ## How to Build Adjectival Phrases at HSK 2 A basic pattern places a degree modifier or negation before an adjective. Degree modifiers adjust intensity, while negation denies or limits the quality; these are different functions. Degree Adverb / Negation Adjective - Degree adverb + adjective: combinations like 很忙 (hěn máng, very busy), 非常冷 (fēicháng lěng, extremely cold), or 真快 (zhēn kuài, really fast). - Negated degree + adjective: combinations like 不太好吃 (bú tài hǎochī, not very delicious) or 不高 (bù gāo, not tall), which soften or negate the quality. - Coordinated adjectives: two compatible adjectives joined together, such as 干净又漂亮 (gānjìng yòu piàoliang, clean and pretty), describing two qualities at the same time. ## Three Core Sentence Positions Because an adjectival phrase has the same functional type as a single adjective, you can slot the entire phrase into three primary positions in an HSK 2 sentence: as the predicate, as a noun modifier, or as a state complement. An adjectival phrase can directly describe the subject as the predicate. 很 often has a weakened degree meaning in a neutral statement such as 天气很冷. A bare adjective may invite a contrast in some contexts, but it does not inherently mean “more”: 今天冷 can also simply describe cold weather. Subject Adjectival Phrase 。 今天天气非常冷。 Jīntiān tiānqì fēicháng lěng. The weather today is extremely cold. The adjectival phrase 非常冷 (fēicháng lěng) acts directly as the predicate without needing 是. 这个苹果不太好吃。 Zhège píngguǒ bù tài hǎochī. This apple is not very delicious. The negated degree phrase 不太好吃 (bú tài hǎochī) functions as the complete predicate describing the subject. 她的房间干净又漂亮。 Tā de fángjiān gānjìng yòu piàoliang. Her room is clean and pretty. Two adjectives linked by 又 (yòu) form a coordinated adjectival phrase serving as the predicate. Second, an adjectival phrase can modify a noun. While a single-syllable adjective can sometimes attach directly to a noun, an expanded adjectival phrase containing a degree adverb requires the structural particle 的 (de) between the phrase and the noun it describes. Adjectival Phrase 的 Noun 我买了一件很便宜的衣服。 Wǒ mǎile yí jiàn hěn piányi de yīfu. I bought a very cheap piece of clothing. Because 很便宜 (hěn piányi) is an expanded adjectival phrase rather than a bare single-syllable adjective, 的 (de) is required before the noun 衣服 (yīfu). Third, an adjectival phrase can follow a verb and the structural particle 得 (de) to evaluate or describe how an action is performed. Verb 得 Adjectival Phrase 弟弟跑得真快。 Dìdi pǎo de zhēn kuài. My younger brother runs really fast. The adjectival phrase 真快 (zhēn kuài) follows 得 (de) to evaluate the action 跑 (pǎo). ## Useful Contrasts and Common Pitfalls A frequent habit among English speakers is translating the word 'is' directly as 是 (shì) before an adjectival phrase. In Chinese, adjectives and adjectival phrases already have built-in predicative power. For ordinary descriptions, placing 是 before an adjectival phrase is ungrammatical. × 今天天气是非常冷。 Jīntiān tiānqì shì fēicháng lěng. Intended: The weather today is extremely cold. Incorrect in a neutral weather description: do not insert 是 (shì) before an adjectival phrase predicate. Use the correct sentence in “今天天气非常冷。” instead. Corrected example: 今天天气非常冷。 For a neutral description such as 天气非常冷, no linking verb 是 is needed. 很 and 非常 modify the adjective; they are not copulas or mandatory bridges. 是 can occur in emphatic or concessive contexts, so the learner example is unsuitable for its stated neutral purpose rather than impossible in every context. Look at the whole unit. In 很便宜的衣服 (hěn piányi de yīfu, very cheap clothes), 很便宜 is an adjectival phrase headed by 便宜. The larger phrase 很便宜的衣服 is nominal, headed by 衣服. Phrase type is not fixed by one sentence position: different phrase types can sometimes occupy the same position. ## Frequently asked questions **Why is 很 common in simple adjectival descriptions?** 很 commonly helps form a neutral adjective predicate and need not stress a strong degree. A bare adjective can be contrastive, but not always: 今天冷 can simply mean “It is cold today” in a suitable context. Neither 很 nor a comparison is compulsory in every adjective sentence. **Do I always need 的 when an adjectival phrase comes before a noun?** Use 的 in the ordinary degree-modified pattern taught here, such as 很好的人 or 很便宜的衣服. This differs from direct combinations such as 好人. Do not turn this pattern into a rule that every descriptive phrase in every style must contain 的. **Source**[hsk.cn-bj.ufileos.com · PDF page 390](https://hsk.cn-bj.ufileos.com/3.0/%E6%96%B0%E7%89%88HSK%E8%80%83%E8%AF%95%E5%A4%A7%E7%BA%B21219.pdf#page=390) ## Continue in the app Full mock exams are available in HSKReady. [![Download on the App Store](https://hskready.app/download-on-app-store-black.svg)Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6791916440?l=en)[![Get it on Google Play](https://hskready.app/get-it-on-google-play.svg)Get it on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.curiolab.hskready&hl=en) [HSKReady App](https://hskready.app/en/app)