What is an adjectival predicate in Mandarin Chinese?

An adjectival predicate refers to an adjective (e.g., “warm”) that comments on the subject (e.g., “weather”). A subject is about “what/who” and the predicate is about “what this subject is (like).”

In the sentence 天气暖和 (transcribed Tiānqì nuǎnhuo, meaning “It’s warm”), 天气 (transcribed tiānqì, meaning “weather”) is the subject and 暖和 (transcribed nuǎnhuo, meaning “warm”) is the adjectival predicate, which describes what the weather is like.

Unlike in English, there is usually no “is” between the subject and adjectival predicate in Mandarin. So, it is important to know how to use adjectival predicates properly.

If you want to get to know more about this topic, dive in and read more!

There are two major types of adjectival predicates in Mandarin Chinese: simple and complex. Let’s take a closer look at each.

Both simple and complex adjectival predicates are negated with 不 (transcribed bù, meaning “not”). Let’s see how.

Unlike in English, in Mandarin Chinese the subject and the adjectival predicate are not linked by the verb “to be.” Instead there is either no linking verb at all or other words are used to link. 很 (transcribed hěn, meaning “very”) is such a word. In Mandarin, 很 (transcribed hěn) is more versatile than “very” is in English. This is because while 很 (transcribed hěn) often means “very,” it can also mean something else in Mandarin.

When you simply want to say “I am happy” without making a statement on the degree of happiness, 我很高兴 (transcribed Wǒ hěn gāoxìng, meaning “I am (very) happy”) sounds more natural than 我高兴 (transcribed Wǒ gāoxìng, meaning “I am happy”) and therefore the former is more commonly used in Mandarin. 很 (transcribed hěn) in this case functions as a “dummy” linker between the subject and the adjective. So, the difference between 我高兴 and 我很高兴 might not necessarily be a matter of degree of happiness, but rather a matter of naturalness. This could especially be the case when 很 (transcribed hěn) is pronounced lightly. However, if 很 (transcribed hěn) is deliberately stressed, it should really mean “very.” That’s why “very” is put as optional in the English translation of “很 + adjectival predicates.”

While 很 (transcribed hěn, meaning “very”) is more versatile in Mandarin Chinese than in English, the English “to be” is more versatile than 是 (transcribed shì, meaning “to be”) in Mandarin. These differences can cause some confusion for learners of Mandarin. 是 (transcribed shì) in Mandarin is NOT equivalent to the English "is/am/are," and it is usually followed by a noun. Conversely, 很 (transcribed hěn) doesn’t go with a noun, it usually goes with an adjective.

If you would like to know how to connect adjectives, check our post on “How to say ‘and’ in Mandarin Chinese.” And if you are wondering about how to structure sentences in which adjectives precede nouns (as in “beautiful lantern”), there is a post for you too!

When using adjectival predicates in Mandarin Chinese, keep the following tips in mind:

• An adjectival predicate in Mandarin usually does not use 是 (transcribed shì, meaning “to be”) in the sentence, even though this is different in English.

• There are simple adjectival predicates (with only one adjective as the predicate) and complex adjectival predicate (with adjective + other elements, including adverbs and complements).

• The negative form of adjectival predicates uses 不 (transcribed bù, meaning “not”) before a simple adjective, but adds 不是 (transcribed bùshì, meaning “not”) before a complex adjectival predicate.

• Learners of Mandarin Chinese may make mistakes when using 是 (transcribed shì, meaning “to be”) and 很 (transcribed hěn, meaning “very”) involving adjectival predicates. This is because there are differences between using the two words in Mandarin versus in English. In Mandarin, 很 (transcribed hěn) is more versatile than in English, but 是 (transcribed shì) is less versatile than “to be” is in English.

Want to know more about the nuances of adjectival predicates in Mandarin? The best way to do that is to try our exercises and practice your adjectival predicates!