Moderating positive adjectives with "hai"

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Whenever you want to imply that something is "meh", you can use 还(hái).

Commonly used expressions

Structure

As well as continuation, 还 (hái) can also be used to weaken positive adjectives. This is similar to saying "quite" or "reasonably" in English. Stated underneath is the most common ways to express "hai".

Subject + 还 好

Subject + 还 可以

Subject + 还 行

Subject + 还 不错

Examples

  • 好。I'm OK.
  • 这 个 地方 好。This place is OK.
  • 我 觉得 好,没有 那么 难吃。I think it's OK, it is not so bad-tasting.
  • 啤酒 行。Beer is decent.
  • 这 个 店 的 衣服 行。The clothes in this shop are alright.
  • 质量 行。The quality is OK.
  • 那 个 乐队 可以。That band is so-so.
  • 这里 的 菜 可以。Here the food is so-so.
  • 房子 不错,但是 有 点 贵。The apartment is not too bad, but it is a bit expensive.
  • 我们 老板 不错。Our boss is not too bad.

“还” used as an adjective

Besides these common used fixed expressions, "还" can also be used together with an adjective. This structure can be used to weaken a positive adjective. "还" is similar to saying "reasonably" or "quite" in English. In addition to the above-mentioned commonly used expressions, “还” can also be used together with an adjective, expressing the degree to which one does something. However we will often add "算" between “还” and the adjective in order to add a syllable and make the expression sound more authentic. As well as continuation,"还"(hái) can also be used to weaken positive adjectives. This is similar to saying "quite" or "reasonably" in English.

Structure

Subject + 还 算 + Adj.


Examples

  • 房间 还 算 大。The room is fairly big.
  • 这 个 女 孩子还 算 漂亮。This girl is fairly beautiful.
  • 我们 公司 还 算 好。Our office is fairly good.
  • 工作 还 算顺利。The work is fairly smooth.
  • 这 里 还算 安静。This place is fairly quiet.
  • 这 个 城市 的 还算 干净。This city is fairly clean.
  • 我 家 的 宝宝 还算 听话。My baby fairly does what it's told.
  • 这 家 店 的 东西 还算 便宜。The things in this shop are fairly cheap.
  • 这 个 人 还算 诚实。This person is fairly honest.
  • 还算 聪明。You are fairly clever.

See also


Sources and further reading

Books