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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'difficult to' with 难以 (nányǐ)

    Degree & Intensity
    Description & Modification

    Structure

    难以 + Verb

    Explanation

    The adverb 难以 (nányǐ) means 'difficult to' or 'hard to.' It is placed before a verb to indicate that the action is very hard to accomplish. It is more formal than 很难 and often appears in written Chinese, such as 难以处理 (difficult to handle).

    Examples

    • 这道数学题难以在短时间内解出来。

      Zhè dào shùxué tí nányǐ zài duǎn shíjiān nèi jiě chūlái.

      This math problem is difficult to solve in a short time.

    • 他的行为难以理解。

      Tā de xíngwéi nányǐ lǐjiě.

      His behavior is hard to understand.

    • 这种损失难以用金钱来衡量。

      Zhè zhǒng sǔnshī nányǐ yòng jīnqián lái héngliáng.

      This kind of loss is hard to measure in terms of money.

    Similar Grammar

    Expressing 'difficult to' with 难以 (nányǐ) | Chinese Grammar