Structure:

Subject + 不太  + Adjective

Meaning:

You may be familiar with using “太”(tài) to express “too” in the sense of “too expensive.” There’s a similar pattern in the negative, which just means “not very” or “not so” (literally “not too”). Note that this pattern does not normally use “了” (le).

Examples:

    他 不 太 高兴。

    Tā bú tài ɡāoxìnɡ

    He is not too happy.

Structure with Modal Verbs:

Subject + 不太  + Verb

Examples:

    他 不 太 想去。

    Tā bú tài xiǎnɡqù

    He doesn’t really want to go.