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 + 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 。Wǒ zhēnde bù zhīdào zěnme bàn cái hǎo.I really don't know what to do with it.
• 我们 都 不 知道 说 什么 好 。 Wǒmen dōu bù zhīdào shuō shénme hǎo.None of us knew what to say about it.
• 老板 不 知道 怪 谁 好 。Lǎobǎn bù zhīdào guài shéi hǎo.The boss didn't know who to blame.
• 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 钱 他 不 知道 放 在 哪儿 才 好 。 Zhèxiē qián tā bù zhīdào fàng zài nǎr cái hǎo.He doesn't know where to put these money.
• 下雨天 我 不 知道 带 孩子 去 哪儿 玩 好 。Xiàyǔ tiān wǒ bù zhīdào dài hāizi qù nǎr wán hǎo.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 。Dōu hěn piàoliang, wǒ bù zhīdào mǎi nǎ jiàn hǎo.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 。 Hǎochī de tài duō le, háizi men bù zhīdào xiān chī nǎge cái hǎo.There are too much delicious food. The children don't know which one to start with.
• 我 想 问 ，可是 不 知道 什么时候 问 才 好 。Wǒ xiǎng wèn, kěshì bù zhīdào shénme shíhou wèn cái hǎo.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 。Wǒmen bù zhīdào shénme shíhou gēn háizi shuō hǎo.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

• Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语中级冲刺篇) (pp. 77) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

HSK4