可真…啊
“you really are …!”: strong praise, or its ironic opposite
Structure
主语 可真 形容词 啊 ！
What it means
'You really are …!': strong praise, or, depending on the situation, its sarcastic opposite.
How it is built
Subject + 可真 + adjective + 啊！: 这孩子可真懂事啊！ (this child really is thoughtful!).
When to use it
可 is a spoken intensifier: 可好了, 可不是嘛 ('exactly!'), 我可没说 ('I never said that'). 可真 is more emotional than plain 真. Spoken; in writing use 非常 or 十分.
Watch out
Whether it is praise or sarcasm depends wholly on the situation: 你可真准时啊！ said to someone an hour late is a complaint. 可真 is already the intensifier, so don't add 很: ✗你可真很准时。 ✓你可真准时。
Examples
你可真准时啊！
You really are punctual! (said to someone an hour late)
这孩子可真懂事。
This child really is thoughtful.
Learn this in Lesson 213 · HSK 9+: 弦外之音 (What is left unsaid)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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