Using "hao" to mean "easy"

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.

General Verbs

Just as 难 (nán) can be used to indicate that it's 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:

Structure

Subject + (很) 好 + Verb

Examples

• 好懂Easy to understand.
• 这 句 话 很 好懂。This talk is easy to understand.
• 好学Easy to learn.
• 汉语 很 好学。 Mandarin is easy to learn.
• 好做Easy to do(make).
• 三明治 很 好做。Sandwiches are easy to make.
• 好买Easy to buy (implying it's easy to find).
• 这 个 东西 现在 很 好买。This thing is easy to buy.

Exceptions

好 (hǎo) can also be attached to "sense verbs" (e.g. look, taste, smell, etc.) to indicate that something is good to do. 这样的用法数量有限，仅限于：

• 好吃 (hǎochī) good to taste, good to eat, delicious
• 好看 (hǎokàn)good to look,beautiful/cute/good-looking
• 好听 (hǎotīng)good to listen,Pleasant to listen to (good listening)
• 好闻 (hǎowén)good to smell,smells good

另外，不是感官动词的“玩”，也可以跟“好”一起表示something is "good to have fun".

• 好玩 (hǎo wán)funny,interesting

Examples

• 这 首 歌 很 好听。This song is great (This song is good to listen to).
• 这 只 小 猫 很 好闻。This little cat smells good.
• 这 件 衣服 很 好看。This piece of clothing looks good.
• 你 做 的 菜 很 好吃。The food you make is delicious.
• 我 觉得 上海很 好玩。

See also

• Difficult to do something
• Expressing Difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"
• Expressing purpose with "haorang" (advanced article)

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (p. 232) →buy
• 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (p. 52) →buy