How to use 格外
Subject + 格外 + adjective / stative predicate
格外 marks a degree that stands out from what is usual or expected in the context. It can describe a particularly busy day, an unusually comfortable morning, or an especially satisfying night's sleep. The comparison standard is often implicit: the speaker expects the listener to recognize what makes this occasion different. It does not merely label the thing as a special category.
Place 格外 before the adjective or other suitable predicate whose degree it intensifies. It can also occur within a complement phrase describing how an action goes. Unlike 特别, 格外 normally functions as an adverb, so it does not freely fill the adjective roles associated with the meaning special.
Examples with pinyin and English
下过雨的早晨格外舒服.
It's especially comfortable on mornings after a rain.
今天格外忙, 都来不及吃午饭.
I was especially busy today and didn't even have time to eat lunch.
昨天登山累了, 晚上睡得格外香甜。
I was tired from climbing yesterday, so my sleep at night was especially sweet.
去年孩子还很调皮，但是今年格外懂事。
Last year the kid was very naughty, but this year he's been especially sensible.
What to remember
- Use 格外 to emphasize an unusual degree.
- Place it before the quality being intensified.
- Do not use it freely as an adjective meaning special.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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