Expressing not knowing how to do something using "hao"

"不知道⋯⋯好" (bù zhīdao...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

• 他 不 知道 去 哪个 欧洲 国家 留学 好。He doesn't know which European country to go to study in .
• 跟他在一起，我 不 知道 说什么 好。I don't know what to say to him when I am with him.
• 当时，我 真的 不 知道 怎么 办 才 好。At that time, I didn't really know what to do.

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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