很
hěn
Simple "noun + adjective" sentences
An adjective is its own predicate in Chinese, usually propped up by 很, which here means far less than "very".
Noun + 很 + Adj.
How it works
To say something has a quality, put the adjective straight after the noun — no verb needed. But a bare adjective sounds like an unfinished comparison, so a degree adverb fills the slot, and the default one is 很: 我很好, 天气很冷.
In this position 很 is largely structural. 我很好 is simply "I'm fine", not "I'm very good". If you genuinely mean very, stress it in speech or reach for 非常 or 真.
Negation drops 很 entirely: 我不好, not 我不很好.
Examples
wǒ hěn hǎo
我很好。
I'm fine.
jīn tiān hěn lěng
今天很冷。
It's cold today.
zhè ge cài bú là
这个菜不辣。
This dish isn't spicy.
Common mistakes
- Leaving 很 out of a plain positive statement (我好) sounds like you were about to compare something.
- 是 never appears here: 我是很好 is wrong.