Difference between revisions of "Using "hao" to mean "easy""
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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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Using 好(hǎo) to express that something is "easy to do" or "good to do" is quite easy to do! All you need is placing a "好" before a verb.
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Of course [[好|好 (hǎo)]] means "good." But it can also be used to express that something is "easy to do" or "good to do." And it is quite... ''easy to do''! All you need to do is place a 好 (hǎo) before a [[verb]].
  
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== Structure with General Verbs==
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== General Verbs ==
  
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Just as 难 can be used to indicate that it's [[Difficult to do something|hard to do something]], the adjective 好 (hǎo) can be attached to verbs, except sensitive words, to indicate that something is ''easy to do''. The structure is, simply:
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Just as 难 (nán) can be used to indicate that it's [[Expressing "difficult" with "nan"|hard to do something]], 好 (hǎo) can also come before verbs to indicate that something is ''easy to do.''  
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=== Structure ===
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The simple form is just:
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<div class="jiegou">
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好 + Verb
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</div>
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If you want to make a sentence out of it:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
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Subject +（很）好 + General Verb
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Subj. + (很) 好 + Verb
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Examples ==
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* <em>好懂</em><span class="trans">easy to understand</span>
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* 这 个 词 的 意思 很 <em>好懂</em>。<span class="pinyin">Zhège cí de yìsi hěn <em>hǎo dǒng</em>.</span><span class="trans">The meaning of this word is easy to understand.</span>
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* 这 句 话 <em>很 好懂</em>。<span class="trans">This talk is easy to understand.</span>
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* 这 个 汉字 很 <em>好写</em>。<span class="pinyin">Zhège Hànzì hěn <em>hǎo xiě</em>.</span><span class="trans">This Chinese character is easy to write.</span>
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* <em>好学</em><span class="trans">easy to learn</span>
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* 三明治 很 <em>好做</em>。<span class="pinyin">Sānmíngzhì hěn <em>hǎo zuò</em>.</span><span class="trans">Sandwiches are easy to make.</span>
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* 汉语 <em>很 好学</em>。<span class="trans"> Mandarin is easy to learn.</span>
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* 苹果 手机 现在 很 <em>好买</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Píngguǒ shǒujī xiànzài hěn <em>hǎo mǎi</em>.</span><span class="trans">iPhones are easy to buy now.</span>
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* <em>好做</em><span class="trans">easy to do(make)</span>
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* 这 个 笔 很 <em>好用</em>。<span class="pinyin">Zhège bǐ hěn <em>hǎo yòng</em>.</span><span class="trans">This pen is easy to use.</span>
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* 三明治 <em>很 好做</em>。<span class="trans">Sandwiches are easy to make.</span>
 
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* <em>好买</em><span class="trans">easy to buy (implying it's easy to find)</span>
 
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* 这 个 东西 现在 <em>很 好买</em>。<span class="trans">This thing is easy to buy.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Structure with Sensitive Verbs ==
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== Exceptions ==
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好 (hǎo) can also be attached to sensitive verbs (e.g. look, taste, smell, etc.) to indicate that something is  ''good to do''. The structure is:
 
  
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<div class="jiegou">
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好 (hǎo) can also be attached to "sense verbs" (e.g. "look," "taste," "smell," etc.) to indicate that something is '''good'' to do'' (rather than "''easy'' to do").
  
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Subject +（很）好 + Sensitive Verb
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There's a limited number of these, but some of them are super common, so just memorize them as exceptions:
  
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<div class="liju">
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*好吃 <span class="pinyin">hǎochī</span><span class="trans">good to taste, good to eat, delicious</span>
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*好喝 <span class="pinyin">hǎohē</span><span class="trans">good to taste, good to drink</span>
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*好看 <span class="pinyin">hǎokàn </span><span class="trans">good to look at, good-looking, attractive</span>
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*好听 <span class="pinyin">hǎotīng</span><span class="trans">good to listen to, pleasant to listen to, good-sounding</span>
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*好闻 <span class="pinyin">hǎowén</span><span class="trans">good to smell, smells good, good-smelling</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Examples ==
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The word for "fun" in Chinese is also of this form, even though it's not a sense verb:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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*好玩 <span class="pinyin">hǎowán</span><span class="trans">fun</span>
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</div>
  
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* <em>好听</em><span class="trans">pleasant to listen to (good listening)</span>
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=== Examples ===
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* 这 首 歌 <em>很 好听</em>。<span class="trans">This song is great. (This song is a good listen.)</span>
 
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* <em>好闻</em><span class="trans"> smells good</span>
 
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* 这 只 小 猫 <em>很 好闻</em>。<span class="trans">This little cat smells good.</span>
 
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* <em>好看</em><span class="trans">beautiful/cute/good-looking</span>
 
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* 这 件 衣服 <em>很 好看</em>。<span class="trans">This piece of clothing looks good.</span>
 
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* <em>好吃</em><span class="trans"> delicious (good to eat)</span>
 
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* 你 做的菜 <em>很 好吃</em>。<span class="trans">The food you make is delicious.</span>
 
  
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<div class="liju">
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* 这 首 歌 很 <em>好听</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè shǒu gē hěn <em>hǎotīng</em>.</span><span class="trans">This song is great.</span>
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* 这 种 茶 很 <em>好闻</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng chá hěn <em>hǎowén</em>.</span>  <span class="trans">This kind of tea smells good.</span>
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* 你 的 新 包 很 <em>好看</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de xīn bāo hěn <em>hǎokàn</em>.</span><span class="trans">Your new bag looks good.</span>
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* 妈妈 做 的 菜 很 <em>好吃</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Māma zuò de cài hěn <em>hǎochī</em>.</span>  <span class="trans">The food mom makes is delicious.</span>
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* 我 觉得 上海 很 <em>好玩</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde Shànghǎi hěn <em>hǎowán</em>.</span><span class="trans">I think Shanghai is a lot of fun.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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*[[Difficult to do something]]
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*[[Expressing "difficult" with "nan"]]
 
*[[Expressing Difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"]]
 
*[[Expressing Difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"]]
 
*[[Expressing purpose with "haorang"]] (advanced article)
 
*[[Expressing purpose with "haorang"]] (advanced article)
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[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
 
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
 
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
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{{Basic Grammar|好|A2|好 + V|<em>好</em> 做。<em>好</em> 买。|grammar point|ASGJQU93}}
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{{Basic Grammar|好|A2|好 + Verb|<em>好</em> 做。<em>好</em> 买。|grammar point|ASGJQU93}}
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{{Similar|Difficult to do something}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "difficult" with "nan"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing Difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing Difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing Purpose with "hao"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing Purpose with "hao"}}

Latest revision as of 08:53, 21 April 2021

Of course 好 (hǎo) means "good." But it can also be used to express that something is "easy to do" or "good to do." And it is quite... easy to do! All you need to do is place a 好 (hǎo) before a verb.

General Verbs

Just as 难 (nán) can be used to indicate that it's hard to do something, 好 (hǎo) can also come before verbs to indicate that something is easy to do.

Structure

The simple form is just:

好 + Verb

If you want to make a sentence out of it:

Subj. + (很) 好 + Verb

Examples

  • 这 个 词 的 意思 很 好懂。Zhège cí de yìsi hěn hǎo dǒng.The meaning of this word is easy to understand.
  • 这 个 汉字 很 好写。Zhège Hànzì hěn hǎo xiě.This Chinese character is easy to write.
  • 三明治 很 好做。Sānmíngzhì hěn hǎo zuò.Sandwiches are easy to make.
  • 苹果 手机 现在 很 好买。 Píngguǒ shǒujī xiànzài hěn hǎo mǎi.iPhones are easy to buy now.
  • 这 个 笔 很 好用。Zhège bǐ hěn hǎo yòng.This pen is easy to use.

Exceptions

好 (hǎo) can also be attached to "sense verbs" (e.g. "look," "taste," "smell," etc.) to indicate that something is good to do (rather than "easy to do").

There's a limited number of these, but some of them are super common, so just memorize them as exceptions:

  • 好吃 hǎochīgood to taste, good to eat, delicious
  • 好喝 hǎohēgood to taste, good to drink
  • 好看 hǎokàn good to look at, good-looking, attractive
  • 好听 hǎotīnggood to listen to, pleasant to listen to, good-sounding
  • 好闻 hǎowéngood to smell, smells good, good-smelling

The word for "fun" in Chinese is also of this form, even though it's not a sense verb:

  • 好玩 hǎowánfun

Examples

  • 这 首 歌 很 好听 。 Zhè shǒu gē hěn hǎotīng.This song is great.
  • 这 种 茶 很 好闻 。Zhè zhǒng chá hěn hǎowén. This kind of tea smells good.
  • 你 的 新 包 很 好看 。Nǐ de xīn bāo hěn hǎokàn.Your new bag looks good.
  • 妈妈 做 的 菜 很 好吃 。Māma zuò de cài hěn hǎochī. The food mom makes is delicious.
  • 我 觉得 上海 很 好玩 。 Wǒ juéde Shànghǎi hěn hǎowán.I think Shanghai is a lot of fun.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

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