Difference between revisions of "Expressing not knowing how to do something using "hao""
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*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> | *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 钱 他 <em>不 知道</em> 放 在 <strong>哪儿</strong> <strong>才</strong> <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē qián tā <em>bù zhīdào</em> fàng zài <strong>nǎr</strong> <strong>cái</strong><em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't know where to put these money.</span> | *这些 钱 他 <em>不 知道</em> 放 在 <strong>哪儿</strong> <strong>才</strong> <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē qián tā <em>bù zhīdào</em> fàng zài <strong>nǎr</strong> <strong>cái</strong><em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't know where to put these money.</span> | ||
| − | |||
*下雨天 我 <em>不 知道</em> 带 孩子 去 <strong>哪儿</strong> 玩 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Xiàyǔ tiān wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> dài hāizi qù <strong>nǎr</strong> wán <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't know where to take my kid to play on rainy days.</span> | *下雨天 我 <em>不 知道</em> 带 孩子 去 <strong>哪儿</strong> 玩 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Xiàyǔ tiān wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> dài hāizi qù <strong>nǎr</strong> wán <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't know where to take my kid to play on rainy days.</span> | ||
*都 很 漂亮 ，我 <em>不 知道</em> 买 <strong>哪件</strong> <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Dōu hěn piàoliang, wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> mǎi <strong>nǎ jiàn</strong> <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>哪件</strong> <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Dōu hěn piàoliang, wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> mǎi <strong>nǎ jiàn</strong> <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">They are all beautiful. I'm not sure which one to buy.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | *好吃 的 太 多 了 ，孩子们 <em>不 知道</em> 先 吃 <strong>哪个 </strong> <strong>才</strong> <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Hǎochī de tài duō le, háizi men <em>bù zhīdào</em> xiān chī <strong>nǎge</strong> <strong>cái</strong> <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">There are too much delicious food. The children don't know which one to start with.</span> |
*老板 <em>不 知道</em> 怪 <strong>谁</strong> <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>bù zhīdào</em> guài <strong>shéi</strong> <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">The boss didn't know who to blame.</span> | *老板 <em>不 知道</em> 怪 <strong>谁</strong> <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>bù zhīdào</em> guài <strong>shéi</strong> <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">The boss didn't know who to blame.</span> | ||
| + | *我 想 问 ，可是 <em>不 知道</em> <strong>什么时候</strong> 问 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng wèn, kěshì <em>bù zhīdào</em> <strong>shénme shíhou</strong> wèn <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I | ||
| + | want to ask, but I'm not sure when to ask.</span> | ||
*我们 <em>不 知道</em> <strong>什么时候</strong> 跟 孩子 说 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>bù zhīdào</em> <strong>shénme shíhou</strong> gēn háizi shuō <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">We're not sure when to tell this to the kids.</span> | *我们 <em>不 知道</em> <strong>什么时候</strong> 跟 孩子 说 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>bù zhīdào</em> <strong>shénme shíhou</strong> gēn háizi shuō <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">We're not sure when to tell this to the kids.</span> | ||
Revision as of 06:09, 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 才 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 钱 他 不 知道 放 在 哪儿 才 好 。 He doesn't know where to put these money.
- 下雨天 我 不 知道 带 孩子 去 哪儿 玩 好 。I don't know where to take my kid to play on rainy days.
- 都 很 漂亮 ，我 不 知道 买 哪件 好 。They are all beautiful. I'm not sure which one to buy.
- 好吃 的 太 多 了 ，孩子们 不 知道 先 吃 哪个 才 好 。 There are too much delicious food. The children don't know which one to start with.
- 老板 不 知道 怪 谁 好 。The boss didn't know who to blame.
- 我 想 问 ，可是 不 知道 什么时候 问 好 。I
want to ask, but I'm not sure when to ask.
- 我们 不 知道 什么时候 跟 孩子 说 好 。We're not sure when to tell this to the kids.
See also
- Expressing lateness with "cai"
- Expressing Difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"
- Result complement "-hao"
Sources and further reading
Books
