hou2好
very
ni1呢go3個daan6蛋taat1撻hou2好hou2好sik6食
This egg tart is very delicious
Learn
Very & too
Intensifying adjectives
Adjectives feel flat without a way to turn them up or down, and that is exactly what this lesson fixes. You will learn 好 (hou2) for very, 太 (taai3) for too in the sense of excessively, and 幾 (gei2) for quite or rather, then hear them in context like 好貴 (hou2 gwai3), 太貴 (taai3 gwai3), and 幾好 (gei2 hou2).
What you'll learn
- Intensify any adjective with “very” 好 (hou2)
- Warn that something is excessive with “too” 太 (taai3)
- Soften an opinion with “quite” 幾 (gei2)
- Say “very expensive” with 好貴 (hou2 gwai3)
- Complain that something is “too expensive” with 太貴 (taai3 gwai3)
- Give mild praise with “quite good” 幾好 (gei2 hou2)
Learn how to make adjectives stronger: very, too, quite!
taai2太
too (excessively)
ni1呢bui1杯gaa3咖fe1啡taai3太daai6大
This cup of coffee is too big
gei2幾
quite / rather
gam1今jat6日dou1都gei2幾dung3凍
Today is quite cold
hou2好gwai3貴
very expensive
daap3搭dik1的si2士hou2好gwai3貴
Taking a taxi is very expensive
taai2太gwai3貴
too expensive
jat1一baak3百man1蚊taai2太gwai3貴laa3喇
One hundred dollars is too expensive
gei2幾hou2好
quite good
ni1呢gaan1間bin6便lei6利dim3店gei2幾hou2好
This convenience store is quite good
Frequently asked questions
How do you say very in Cantonese?
Very is 好 (hou2), placed directly before an adjective. So 好貴 (hou2 gwai3) means very expensive and 好靚 means very pretty.
How do you say too expensive in Cantonese?
Use 太 (taai3) for too in the excessive sense, giving 太貴 (taai3 gwai3) for too expensive. 太 signals that something has gone past what is acceptable.
What does 幾 mean in Cantonese?
As an intensifier, 幾 (gei2) means quite or rather, so 幾好 (gei2 hou2) is quite good. It softens an adjective rather than pushing it to an extreme.
Can I learn Cantonese intensifiers for free?
Yes, this lesson is free to read online and walks through 好, 太, and 幾 with audio examples, so you can practise putting the right strength behind every adjective.