‘觉得’ is a common verb meaning ‘to feel’, ‘to think’, or ‘to realize that’. It expresses a subjective perception, opinion, or internal awareness — not objective fact. The first character 觉 (jué) means ‘to perceive’ or ‘to become aware’, and the second character 得 (de) functions here as a structural particle that turns the verb into a complement construction, indicating the result or content of the perception. Together, they form a compound verb used before a clause (e.g., ‘我觉得…’) to introduce what someone feels or thinks.

This verb is neutral in register and appears constantly in spoken and written Chinese — from casual conversations ('我觉得有点冷') to formal expressions ('专家觉得这个方案可行'). Unlike English ‘think’, ‘觉得’ rarely implies logical deduction; it emphasizes personal, often emotional or intuitive judgment. It cannot take an object directly — you must follow it with a full clause or adjective phrase, never just a noun (e.g., ❌我觉得苹果 — ✅我觉得苹果很甜).