Expressing not knowing how to do something using "hao"

Chinese-grammar-wiki-hao.jpg

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Wǒ zhēnde bù zhīdào zěnme bàn hǎo.I really don't know what to do with it.
  • 我们 都 不 知道什么 Wǒmen dōu bù zhīdào shuō shénme hǎo.None of us knew what to say about it.
  • 他 的 短信 我 不 知道 怎么 回复 Tā de duǎnxìn wǒ bù zhīdào zěnme huífù hǎo.I don't know how to reply to his message.
  • 这些 东西 妈妈 不 知道 放 在 哪儿 Zhèxiē dōngxi māma bù zhīdào fàng zài nǎr hǎo.Mom doesn't know where to put these stuff.
  • 好吃 的 太 多 了 ,他 不 知道 先 吃 哪个 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.
  • 十一 她 不 知道哪儿Shíyī tā bù zhīdàonǎr wán hǎo.She doesn't know where to go for fun during National Day holidays.
  • 都 很 漂亮 ,我 不 知道哪件 Dōu hěn piàoliang, wǒ bù zhīdào mǎi nǎ jiàn hǎo.They are all beautiful. I'm not sure which one to buy.
  • 经理 不 知道Jīnglǐ bù zhīdào ràng shéihǎo.The manager didn't know who to send there.
  • 我们 不 知道 Wǒmen bù zhīdào guài shéi hǎo.We don't know who to blame.
  • 不 知道 什么时候bù zhīdào shénme shíhou shuō hǎo.I'm not sure when to say it.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4