Expressing not knowing how to do something using "hao"

Chinese-grammar-wiki-hao.jpg

"不知道⋯⋯好" (bù zhīdào... hǎo) is an expression used to indicate and emphasize that the speaker does not know how to do something, or at least does not know how to do something well.

Structure

Subj. + 不知道 + Predicate + 好

The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective, which, in this case, always includes a question word, like 什么, 谁, 怎么, 哪个, 哪里, 什么时候, etc.

You will sometimes see the adverb 才 preceding the final 好, which serves the purpose of emphasis.

Examples

  • 我 真的 不 知道 怎么办 Wǒ zhēnde bù zhīdào zěnmebàn hǎo.I really don't know what to do with it.
  • 我们 都 不 知道 说 什么 Wǒmen dōu bù zhīdào shuō shénme hǎo.None of us knew what to say about it.
  • 他 的 短信 我 不 知道 怎么 回复 Tā de duǎnxìn wǒ bù zhīdào zěnme huífù hǎo.I don't know how to reply to his message.
  • 这些 东西 妈妈 不 知道 放 在 哪儿 Zhèxiē dōngxi māma bù zhīdào fàng zài nǎr hǎo.Mom doesn't know where to put these stuff.
  • 好吃 的 太 多 了 ,他 不 知道 先 吃 哪个 Hǎochī de tài duō le, tā bù zhīdào xiān chī nǎge hǎo.There are too much delicious food. He doesn't know which one to start with.
  • 十一 她 不 知道 去哪儿 玩 Shíyī tā bù zhīdào qù nǎr wán hǎo.She doesn't know where to go for fun during National Day holidays.
  • 都 很 漂亮 ,我 不 知道 买 哪 件 Dōu hěn piàoliang, wǒ bù zhīdào mǎi nǎ jiàn hǎo.They are all beautiful. I'm not sure which one to buy.
  • 经理 不 知道 让 谁 去 Jīnglǐ bù zhīdào ràng shéi qù hǎo.The manager didn't know who to send there.
  • 我们 不 知道 怪 谁 Wǒmen bù zhīdào guài shéi hǎo.We don't know who to blame.
  • 我 想 跟 她 表白,但是 我 不 知道 什么 时候 说 Wǒ xiǎng gēn tā biǎobái, dànshì wǒ bù zhīdào shénme shíhou shuō hǎo.I want to confess to her, but I'm not sure when to say it.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4