忒 (tè) - Excessively & too much

忒Tone 4

tè ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 心

檀婷

忒 · tè

Excessively;

too much;

very;

extremely;

also used to mean 'err' or 'change' in classical contexts.

Excessivelytoo muchvery

Usage highlights

Too muchToo littleToo expensiveToo difficultToo slowToo fast

Synonyms

  • 太— too; excessively
  • 过于— excessively; too much
  • 过分— excessive; undue

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This food is too salty (忒咸).
  • He's excessively stubborn (忒固执).
  • The weather is extremely hot today (今天忒热).

Collocations

  • Too much(忒多)
  • Too little(忒少)
  • Too expensive(忒贵)
  • Too difficult(忒难)
  • Too slow(忒慢)
  • Too fast(忒快)

Idioms

  • No major faults(忒无大错)
  • Excessive modesty becomes hypocrisy(忒谦则伪)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally meant 'to err' or 'to change' in classical Chinese, as seen in the Book of Songs.
  • In modern usage, primarily used in northern Chinese dialects to mean 'excessively' or 'too much'.
  • Often appears in colloquial speech to emphasize degree, similar to '太' but with stronger regional flavor.

FAQ