Difference between revisions of "Expressing not knowing how to do something using "hao""
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| − | + | 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 == | == Structure == | ||
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| − | *我 真的 <em>不 知道</em> | + | *我 真的 <em>不 知道</em> <strong>怎么</strong> 办 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhēnde <em>bù zhīdào</em> <strong>zěnme</strong>bàn <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I really don't know what to do with it.</span> |
| − | *我们 都 <em>不 知道</em> 说 什么 <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>bù zhīdào</em> shuō shénme <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">None of us knew what to say about it.</span> | + | *我们 都 <em>不 知道</em> 说 <strong>什么</strong> <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>bù zhīdào</em> shuō <strong>shénme</strong> <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">None of us knew what to say about it.</span> |
| − | *他 的 短信 我 <em>不 知道</em> 怎么 回复 <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā de duǎnxìn wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> zěnme huífù <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't know how to reply to his message.</span> | + | *他 的 短信 我 <em>不 知道</em> <strong>怎么</strong> 回复 <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā de duǎnxìn wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> <strong>zěnme</strong> huífù <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't know how to reply to his message.</span> |
| − | *这些 东西 妈妈 <em>不 知道</em> 放 在 哪儿 <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē dōngxi māma <em>bù zhīdào</em> fàng zài nǎr <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mom doesn't know where to put these stuff.</span> | + | *这些 东西 妈妈 <em>不 知道</em> 放 在 <strong>哪儿</strong> <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē dōngxi māma <em>bù zhīdào</em> fàng zài nǎr <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mom doesn't know where to put these stuff.</span> |
| − | *好吃 的 太 多 了 ，他 <em>不 知道</em> 先 吃 哪个 <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Hǎochī de tài duō le, tā <em>bù zhīdào</em> xiān chī nǎge <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">There are too much delicious food. He doesn't know which one to start with.</span> | + | *好吃 的 太 多 了 ，他 <em>不 知道</em> 先 吃 <strong>哪个</strong> <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Hǎochī de tài duō le, tā <em>bù zhīdào</em> xiān chī nǎge <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">There are too much delicious food. He doesn't know which one to start with.</span> |
| − | *十一 她 <em>不 知道</em> | + | *十一 她 <em>不 知道</em> 去 <strong>哪儿</strong>玩 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Shíyī tā <em>bù zhīdào</em> qù nǎr wán <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">She doesn't know where to go for fun during National Day holidays.</span> |
| − | *都 很 漂亮 ，我 <em>不 知道</em> 买 哪 件 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Dōu hěn piàoliang, wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> mǎi nǎ jiàn <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">They are all beautiful. I'm not sure which one to buy.</span> | + | *都 很 漂亮 ，我 <em>不 知道</em> 买 <strong>哪</strong> 件 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Dōu hěn piàoliang, wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> mǎi nǎ jiàn <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">They are all beautiful. I'm not sure which one to buy.</span> |
| − | *经理 <em>不 知道</em> 让 谁 去 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Jīnglǐ <em>bù zhīdào</em> ràng shéi qù <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">The manager didn't know who to send there.</span> | + | *经理 <em>不 知道</em> 让 <strong>谁</strong> 去 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Jīnglǐ <em>bù zhīdào</em> ràng shéi qù <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">The manager didn't know who to send there.</span> |
| − | *我们 <em>不 知道</em> 怪 谁 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>bù zhīdào</em> guài shéi <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">We don't know who to blame.</span> | + | *我们 <em>不 知道</em> 怪 <strong>谁</strong> <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>bù zhīdào</em> guài shéi <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">We don't know who to blame.</span> |
| − | * | + | *我 <em>不 知道</em> <strong>什么时候</strong> 说 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> shénme shíhou shuō <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm not sure when to say it.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 05:49, 29 December 2017
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 好 。I really don't know what to do with it.
- 我们 都 不 知道 说 什么 好 。 None of us knew what to say about it.
- 他 的 短信 我 不 知道 怎么 回复 好 。 I don't know how to reply to his message.
- 这些 东西 妈妈 不 知道 放 在 哪儿 好 。 Mom doesn't know where to put these stuff.
- 好吃 的 太 多 了 ，他 不 知道 先 吃 哪个 好 。 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 好 。She doesn't know where to go for fun during National Day holidays.
- 都 很 漂亮 ，我 不 知道 买 哪 件 好 。They are all beautiful. I'm not sure which one to buy.
- 经理 不 知道 让 谁 去 好 。The manager didn't know who to send there.
- 我们 不 知道 怪 谁 好 。We don't know who to blame.
- 我 不 知道 什么时候 说 好 。I'm not sure when to say it.
See also
- Expressing lateness with "cai"
- Expressing Difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"
- Result complement "-hao"
Sources and further reading
Books
