Expressing difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"
-
Level
-
Similar to
-
Used for
-
Keywords
好不容易 (hǎo bù róngyì) means "very difficult" or "really not easy". It is often used where the speaker wants to comment on the result of their hard work, something like "It was really hard for me do to do x, but then I realized y".
Structure
Sentences using 好不容易 are often followed by 才, emphasizing the action has been completed later than expected. Strange as it might seem, 好容易 has the same meaning as 好不容易, and can be used interchangeably.
Subject + 好容易/好不容易 +（才）+ Verb
Examples
- 我 好不容易 才到 市 中心， 却 发现 没 带 手机，只好 回去 拿。
- 金融 危机 之后 他 好不容易 才 找到 工作。
- 我 好不容易 才 打通 了 银行 的 服务 热线。
