The Degree Complement
The degree complement (程度补语) indicates the degree of an action, the nature of something, or the reached degree of a state.
How to construct
Pay attention
A complement is a secondary part of a sentence. It is placed after a predicate expressed by a verb or adjective, and expresses the speaker's view of the chance of success.
The degree complement is used after a predicate, which can be expressed by an adjective or verb denoting a feeling. They can be formed with or without the particle 得 
.
.The degree complement with the particle 得
The most popular form is 得很 .
.Scheme
predicate
得
很
Examples
好的厨师真是少得很
There are very few good chefs
hǎo de chúshī zhēnshi shǎo de hěn
这顿饭平常得很
This food is very ordinary
zhè dùn fàn píngcháng de hěn
Pay attention
If we compare this construction with the phrase when 很 comes before an adjective, 得很 is emotionally stronger:
很酸
得很酸
得很酸 In a negative sentence, 得很 is either not used at all, or the negative particle 不 should be put between 得 and 很.
should be put between 得 and 很.Scheme
predicate
得
不很
Examples
痛得不很
not very painful
tòng de bù hěn
In an interrogative sentence, 得很 is either not used at all, or 很 should be placed before and after 不.
Scheme
predicate
得
很不很?
Examples
酸的很不很？
is it very sour?
suān de hěn bù hěn
To strengthen the meaning of an expression even more, after 得 you can say:
不得了
要命
慌
要死
不行
要命
慌
要死
不行 Examples
爱得不得了
to love to death
ài de bùdeliǎo
热得要命
awfully hot
rè de yàomìng
饿得慌
terribly hungry
è de huāng
The complement of degree without the particle 得
There are some special common degree complements which can follow adjectives immediately and are not preceded by a 得:
极了
透了
死了
坏了
透了
死了
坏了 Pay attention
These complements can only be used in affirmative sentences.
Examples
外面冷极了！
It's freezing outside
wàimiàn lĕng jíle
我闷透了
I'm terribly bored
wǒ mēn tòule
好看死了
Stunning
hǎokàn sǐle
我累坏了
I'm exhausted
wŏ lĕi huàile
Pay attention
The adverbs of degree cannot be used before the degree complement.
For example, we cannot use 很 , 非常 or 挺 with the degree complements.
, 非常 or 挺 with the degree complements.Learn more