很

Derived characters

 * 䓳 𭉂 𭦶 𭿉 𧩺 𢉟 𭝮

Glyph origin
.

Etymology
“Cruel (~ ); to disobey; to defy” > “very; quite” (since ). Compare.

Definitions

 * 1) very; rather; quite
 * 2)  no meaning, see usage note
 * 3) to disobey; to defy; to be querulous
 * 4) struggle; dispute; lawsuit
 * 5) to try to one's utmost
 * 1) to disobey; to defy; to be querulous
 * 2) struggle; dispute; lawsuit
 * 3) to try to one's utmost
 * 1) to disobey; to defy; to be querulous
 * 2) struggle; dispute; lawsuit
 * 3) to try to one's utmost
 * 1) to try to one's utmost
 * 1) to try to one's utmost
 * 1) to try to one's utmost

Usage notes

 * Mandarin speakers have a strong tendency to avoid monosyllabic terms. In order to satisfy this restriction, 很 is added before monosyllabic adjectives without any actual meaning. Similarly, Chinese people with monosyllabic first names will usually be addressed by their full name, even by their parents.
 * Such usage of 很 is not uncommon before other adjectives as well, to the point where forming a sentence without 很 may be perceived as very unnatural. Additionally, using an adjective as a predicate without 很 might carry notions of a comparative statement, e.g. '我好' could be interpreted as 'I am good [unlike some other person that was mentioned]'.