Expressing not knowing how to do something using "hao"

"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 + Verb Phrase + 好

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

Examples

• 这 件 事 我 真的 不 知道 怎么办 好 。 Zhè jiàn shì wǒ zhēnde bù zhīdào zěnmebàn hǎo.I really don't know what to do with this.
• 那 时候 我 真 不 知道 说 什么 好 。 Nà shíhou wǒ zhēn bù zhīdào shuō shénme hǎo.I didn't know what to say at that time.
• 他 的 短信 我 不 知道 怎么 回复 好 。 Tā de duǎnxìn wǒ bù zhīdào zěnme huífù hǎo.I don't know how to reply to his message.
• 这些 东西 我们 不 知道 放 在 哪儿 好 。 Zhèxiē dōngxi wǒmen bù zhīdào fàng zài nǎr hǎo.We don't know where to put there stuff.
• 好吃 的 太 多 了 ， 他 不 知道 先 吃 哪个 好 。 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.

See also

• Expressing lateness with "cai"
• Expressing Difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"
• Result complement "-hao"

Sources and further reading

• Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语中级冲刺篇) (p. 77)→buy

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