太 (tài) — too; excessively

太 (tài)

太 is an adverb meaning "too" or "excessively." It expresses that a quality exceeds an acceptable or desired level, and in everyday speech it also functions as a strong intensifier expressing delight.

Meanings

1. [adverb] Too; excessively (beyond an acceptable limit).
2. [adverb] Extremely; so very (in exclamatory sentences expressing strong feeling).

Example Sentences

这件衣服太贵了。 Zhè jiàn yīfu tài guì le. This piece of clothing is too expensive.

今天太热了！ Jīntiān tài rè le! It is so hot today!

你来得太晚了。 Nǐ lái de tài wǎn le. You came too late.

太好了！谢谢你。 Tài hǎo le! Xièxiè nǐ. That is wonderful! Thank you.

Usage Notes

太 almost always appears together with 了 at the end of the adjective phrase or sentence, forming the pattern 太 + adjective + 了. Omitting 了 makes the sentence sound incomplete. In negative contexts (something is too much of a bad thing) the meaning is critical, but in positive exclamations like 太好了, 太棒了, the meaning is purely enthusiastic. Do not use 太 in formal comparisons — use 太 only for absolute degree, not relative comparison.

Collocations or Common Phrases

Memory Hook

太 looks like 大 (big) with an extra dot pushing it over the top — it has gone one dot too far.