太 tài — too, excessively

Meanings

1. 1

   too, excessively

   Says the degree has gone past what suits: 太大了 too big, 太热了 too hot. It almost always closes with 了, and that 了 is part of the pattern rather than a past marker.

   adverb
2. 2

   so, extremely (in praise)

   adverb

   With a positive adjective, 太 is admiration rather than complaint: 太好了！ "that’s wonderful!"

Example sentences

• 这杯茶太热了。/這杯茶太熱了。Zhè (fourth tone, falling) bēi (first tone, high and level) chá (second tone, rising) tài (fourth tone, falling) rè (fourth tone, falling) le. (neutral tone)···

  This tea is too hot.

• 太好了，我们明天去！/太好了，我們明天去！Tài (fourth tone, falling) hǎo (third tone, dipping) le, (neutral tone) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) míngtiān (second tone, rising) qù! (fourth tone, falling)···

  Wonderful — we’ll go tomorrow!

Common mistakes

• Not quite这个苹果太大。

  Correct这个苹果太大了。

  太 almost always needs its 了 to close the sentence. Leaving it off makes the sentence sound unfinished, as though something else were coming.

Similar words