颇 and 蛮: quite, rather (written vs colloquial)
【高07】【高08】副词 / adverbs
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
颇 (written) and 蛮 (spoken) both mean “quite, rather”: a medium-to-high degree, short of the excess of 非常. They differ in register: 颇 is literary (印象颇深, 颇有兴趣, 颇为满意), while 蛮 is colloquial and goes before an adjective, often closed by a final 的 (今天蛮冷的, 她的分数蛮高的).
颇 has three common uses: 颇有 + abstract noun (颇有道理, 颇有兴趣), 颇为 + adjective or verb of feeling (颇为满意, 颇为不满), and 颇 + short adjective after a topic (印象颇深, 语气颇重). 蛮 goes before an adjective (蛮好吃的), or before a verb of liking such as 喜欢.
Choose by situation: in a review, an article or a talk, 颇; among friends, 蛮. The neutral everyday word is 挺 (挺好的). Neither takes a second degree adverb (✗ 颇很好, ✗ 蛮很高).
Examples
今天蛮冷的，多穿一点吧。
Jīntiān mán lěng de, duō chuān yìdiǎn ba.It's pretty cold today, so put on something warmer.
她的分数蛮高的。
Tā de fēnshù mán gāo de.Her score is pretty high.
这家店的面蛮好吃的，你可以尝尝。
Zhè jiā diàn de miàn mán hǎochī de, nǐ kěyǐ chángchang.The noodles at this place are quite good; you could try them.
我对这部电影的印象颇深。
Wǒ duì zhè bù diànyǐng de yìnxiàng pō shēn.This film left me with a rather deep impression.
他对导游这份工作颇有兴趣。
Tā duì dǎoyóu zhè fèn gōngzuò pō yǒu xìngqù.He is quite interested in working as a tour guide.
这位作家的语言颇为生动，读起来一点也不枯燥。
Zhè wèi zuòjiā de yǔyán pōwéi shēngdòng, dúqǐlái yìdiǎn yě bù kūzào.This writer's language is rather vivid, and reading him is not dull in the least.
Common mistakes
✗ 颇很好。 → ✓ 颇为出色。 (never 很 after 颇, and before a two-syllable adjective 颇为 is preferred).
✗ 他蛮很高的。 → ✓ 他蛮高的。 (one degree adverb only).
✗ 这位学者蛮有才华。 (in a formal review) → ✓ 这位学者颇有才华。 (蛮 is spoken and jars in formal writing).