简直 / 几乎jiǎnzhí / jīhū

Simply/Virtually vs. Almost: 简直 / 几乎 (jiǎnzhí / jīhū)

Meaning: Simply / Virtually (简直) vs. Almost / Nearly (几乎)

Pattern

"简直" and "几乎" both emphasize degree, but differ fundamentally in tone:
(1) "简直" (jiǎnzhí — simply / virtually / nothing short of): conveys subjective exaggeration and strong emotion (amazement, frustration, admiration).
It often pairs with extreme adjectives, metaphors ("简直是 + N"), or similes ("简直像…一样"), e.g., 简直是奇迹, 简直不敢相信.
(2) "几乎" (jīhū — almost / nearly): objectively indicates that something is very close to a total quantity, scope, or state without quite reaching 100%.

1
这简直是奇迹！
Zhè jiǎnzhí shì qíjì!
This is simply a miracle!
2
他几乎每天都加班。
Tā jīhū měitiān dōu jiābān.
He works overtime almost every day.
3
这两幅画几乎一模一样。
Zhè liǎng fú huà jīhū yīmúyīyàng.
These two paintings are almost identical.

•简直 = subjective hyperbole/exclamation (简直是…); 几乎 = objective near-total approximation (几乎每天 / 几乎所有人).

⚠️ Common Mistakes:

•Using 简直 before objective scope/quantity words (like 每天 or 所有人): use 几乎 instead.

•Using 几乎 for emphatic metaphorical exclamations (like "This is simply a miracle!"): use 简直 instead.

•Confusing 几乎 with 差点儿 in affirmative desirable events: 差点儿 primarily applies to undesirable near-misses.

Combine Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading Practice, Listening, Hanzi Writing, and Mock Exams at HSK 6 to master all skills together.