How to use 真
真 + Adj.
真 before an adjective expresses a strong personal reaction to a quality. English may render it with “really” or “so.” It is especially natural in praise, surprise, and complaints where the speaker is reacting to what they observe, rather than offering only a neutral measurement or description.
Some psychological verbs and ability expressions can also follow 真, allowing the speaker to emphasize affection, dislike, or an impressive capacity. Choose combinations that support this sense of sincere emphasis. The word is often taught through exclamations, but an exclamation mark is not a grammatical requirement. Tone and context carry much of the emotional force, and other uses of 真 can concern truth or reality more directly.
Examples with pinyin and English
你真好！
You are so nice!
你女朋友真漂亮！
Your girlfriend is really pretty!
他家真有钱！
His family is really rich!
小狗真可爱！
This puppy is really cute!
What to remember
- Place 真 before the emphasized predicate.
- It commonly conveys a personal reaction.
- Feelings and ability expressions can also follow.
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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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