十分
shí fēn HSK 4

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

今天天气十分好。
Jīntiān tiānqì shífēn hǎo.
The weather is very good today.
我十分喜欢这本书。
Wǒ shífēn xǐhuan zhè běn shū.
I like this book very much.
他十分高兴。
Tā shífēn gāoxìng.
He is extremely happy.
这个苹果十分甜。
Zhège píngguǒ shífēn tián.
This apple is very sweet.
他十分喜欢狗。
Tā shífēn xǐhuan gǒu.
He likes dogs very much.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 十分 as 'ten out of ten'—if something is 十分 good, it's a perfect ten! This ties to its literal meaning of 'ten parts' and helps remember its use for expressing high degree or completeness.

📝 Usage Notes

十分 is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, appearing in both spoken and written Chinese. It is versatile and can modify adjectives (e.g., 十分高兴) or verbs (e.g., 十分感谢). It is slightly more formal than 很 (hěn) but less emphatic than 非常 (fēicháng) in casual speech.

📖 Grammar Points

十分 is placed directly before adjectives or verbs to modify them, e.g., 十分 + adjective (十分美丽) or 十分 + verb (十分关心). It can also be used in negative forms, e.g., 十分不 + adjective (十分不高兴). Unlike 很, it is less commonly used in comparative structures.

🏯 Cultural Notes

The term originates from the traditional Chinese measurement system where 'ten parts' represented a whole, reflecting a cultural emphasis on completeness and perfection. In modern usage, it conveys sincerity or strong feeling, often in polite or earnest expressions.

🔄 Similar Words

Similar words include 很 (hěn, 'very' - more common and neutral), 非常 (fēicháng, 'extremely' - stronger emphasis), and 特别 (tèbié, 'especially'). 十分 is often interchangeable with 很 but can sound slightly more formal or literary; it is less intense than 非常 in everyday use.

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