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I suspect that 太 has a similar function in negatives as 很 does in negative sentences.

Some Chinese speakers have corrected some of my negative sentences in include a 太.

e.g.: 他不高兴 was corrected to 他不太高兴.

How necessary is this use of 太?

What is it's function?

Mou某
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Robert Budzul
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2 Answers2

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太 -> too, extremely, very

他不高兴 -> He's not happy -> He's unhappy

他不太高兴 -> He's not very happy -> He's a little unhappy

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Just look at any Chinese grammar, e.g. Chinese, A Comprehensive Grammar, 4.3: degree adverbs and complements occur respectively before and after adjectives to indicate the degree or extent to which the meaning is encoded by an adjective is to be ascertained: 这本字典很好。[很degree adverb] 这本字典好得很[得很degree complement]. The presence of these degree adverbs and complements removes any implication of contrast that is latent in an unmarked predicative adjective. If somebody says: 这本字典好, the speaker must be implying that some other dictionary is not as good as this one.... Other degree adverbs are: 太、更／更加、万分、。。。。 Suspicion regarding function of 太 also is well known fact of Chinese grammar. Maybe it should be added that 不太高兴 (unhappy) is more common than 太不高兴 which latter expression seems to mean "not (very) happy"

user6065
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  • Good point! I suspect 'bu tai' may be perceived as more polite because it's softening the negative. – neubau Sep 12 '14 at 06:18