Introduction
最 (zuì) means "the most". It goes straight in front of the adjective or the verb, and needs no 的 (de), no "than", nothing else: 最贵 (zuì guì) — the most expensive; 我最喜欢茶。(Wǒ zuì xǐhuan chá.) — Tea is my favourite.
Overview
Structure: 最 (zuì) + Adj. / Verb
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 最 + Adj | 这个最贵。(Zhège zuì guì.) | This one's the most expensive. |
| 最 + Adj + 的 + N | 最好的老师 (zuì hǎo de lǎoshī) | the best teacher |
| 最 + Verb | 我最喜欢茶。(Wǒ zuì xǐhuan chá.) | I like tea best. |
| 最 + Adj + 的（noun dropped） | 我要最便宜的。(Wǒ yào zuì piányi de.) | I'll take the cheapest. |
| 最好 + V（advice） | 你最好早点儿去。(Nǐ zuì hǎo zǎodiǎnr qù.) | You'd better go early. |
The degree ladder, from bottom to top:
- 不太贵 (bú tài guì) — not very expensive
- 很贵 (hěn guì) — expensive
- 比那个贵 (bǐ nàge guì) — more expensive than that one
- 比那个更贵 (bǐ nàge gèng guì) — more expensive still
- 最贵 (zuì guì) — the most expensive of all
- 最 (zuì) needs no comparison partner. It already means "of everything there is".
Examples
这个最贵，那个最便宜。
Zhège zuì guì, nàge zuì piányi.
This is the dearest, that's the cheapest.
我最喜欢喝茶。
Wǒ zuì xǐhuan hē chá.
Tea is what I like best.
他是我最好的朋友。
Tā shì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou.
He's my best friend.
中文最难的是声调。
Zhōngwén zuì nán de shì shēngdiào.
The hardest thing about Chinese is the tones.
你最好早点儿去。
Nǐ zuì hǎo zǎodiǎnr qù.
You'd better go a bit early.
我要最便宜的。
Wǒ yào zuì piányi de.
I'll take the cheapest one.
Usage Notes
- 最 (zuì) goes before the word it lifts and needs nothing after it: ✓ 最贵 (zuì guì) ❌ 最贵的最 (zuì guì de zuì).
- To modify a noun, add 的 (de): 最好的老师 (zuì hǎo de lǎoshī). Once everyone knows what you mean, the noun can go: 最便宜的 (zuì piányi de).
- With a verb of liking, 最 (zuì) reads as "best" or "favourite": 我最喜欢…… (wǒ zuì xǐhuan …).
- 最好 (zuì hǎo) has a second life as "had better": 你最好别去。(Nǐ zuì hǎo bié qù.) — You'd better not go.
- Unlike 比 (bǐ), 最 (zuì) takes no second party. ❌ 这个比那个最贵 (zhège bǐ nàge zuì guì).