非常

When we want to express something to a greater degree, we can use the adverb “非常” (fēi cháng). It means “very” or “extremely.” Unlike “很” (hěn), “非常” adds a stronger emphasis. For example, if you say “我很高兴” (wǒ hěn gāoxìng), it means “I am happy.” But if you say “我非常高兴” (wǒ fēicháng gāoxìng), it conveys “I am very happy” or “I am extremely happy,” showing a much stronger emotion.

You’ll often see “非常” before adjectives to intensify their meaning, like in “非常大” (fēicháng dà), meaning “very big,” or “非常好” (fēicháng hǎo), meaning “very good.” It can also modify some verbs that express feelings or states. Just remember, it generally indicates a high level or intensity of the word it modifies.