Difference between revisions of "Moderating positive adjectives with "hai""

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* 爸爸 做的菜  <em>还</em> 可以。 <span class="pinyin">Bàba zuò de cài <em>hái</em> kěyǐ. </span> <span class="trans">The food that dad cooks is OK. </span>
 
* 爸爸 做的菜  <em>还</em> 可以。 <span class="pinyin">Bàba zuò de cài <em>hái</em> kěyǐ. </span> <span class="trans">The food that dad cooks is OK. </span>
 
* 我们 老板 <em>还</em> 不错。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen lǎobǎn <em>hái</em> bùcuò. </span> <span class="trans">Our boss is not too bad. </span>
 
* 我们 老板 <em>还</em> 不错。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen lǎobǎn <em>hái</em> bùcuò. </span> <span class="trans">Our boss is not too bad. </span>
* 这 家 店 <em>还</em> 行,不 太 贵。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jià diàn <em>hái</em> xíng, bù tài guì. </span><span class="trans">The shop is OK. Not too expensive. </span>
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* 这 家 店 <em>还</em> 行,不 太 贵。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jià diàn <em>hái</em> xíng bù tài guì. </span><span class="trans">The shop is OK. Not too expensive. </span>
 
* 我 男朋友 的 收入 <em>还</em> 可以。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou de shōurù <em>hái</em> kěyǐ. </span> <span class="trans">My boyfriend's salary is OK. </span>
 
* 我 男朋友 的 收入 <em>还</em> 可以。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou de shōurù <em>hái</em> kěyǐ. </span> <span class="trans">My boyfriend's salary is OK. </span>
 
* 新的 办公室<em>还</em> 不错。<span class="pinyin">Xīn de bàngōngshì <em>hái</em> bùcuò. </span> <span class="trans">The new office is OK. </span>
 
* 新的 办公室<em>还</em> 不错。<span class="pinyin">Xīn de bàngōngshì <em>hái</em> bùcuò. </span> <span class="trans">The new office is OK. </span>
 
* 我 觉得 这里 的 菜 <em>还</em> 可以,没有 那么 难吃。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde zhèlǐ de cài <em>hái</em> kěyǐ, méiyǒu nàme nánchī. </span> <span class="trans">I think the food here is OK, it is not too bad-tasting. </span>
 
* 我 觉得 这里 的 菜 <em>还</em> 可以,没有 那么 难吃。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde zhèlǐ de cài <em>hái</em> kěyǐ, méiyǒu nàme nánchī. </span> <span class="trans">I think the food here is OK, it is not too bad-tasting. </span>
* 这 个 牌子  <em>还</em> 不错,很多 年轻人 喜欢。<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge páizi <em>hái</em> bùcuò,hěnduō niánqīngrén xǐhuan. </span> <span class="trans">This brand is not bad. Many young people like it. </span>
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* 这 个 牌子  <em>还</em> 不错,很多 年轻人 喜欢。<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge páizi <em>hái</em> bùcuò,hěnduō niánqīngrén xǐhuan. </span> <span class="trans">This brand is not too bad. Many young people like it. </span>
 
* 房子 <em>还</em> 可以,但是 有 点 贵。<span class="pinyin">Fángzi <em>hái</em> kěyǐ, dànshì yǒu diǎn guì.</span><span class="trans">The apartment is not too bad, but it is a bit expensive. </span>
 
* 房子 <em>还</em> 可以,但是 有 点 贵。<span class="pinyin">Fángzi <em>hái</em> kěyǐ, dànshì yǒu diǎn guì.</span><span class="trans">The apartment is not too bad, but it is a bit expensive. </span>
 
* 这 个 人 身高 <em>还</em> 行,可是 有点 胖。<span class="pinyin">Zhège rén shēngāo <em>hái</em> xíng, kěshì yǒudiǎn pàng. </span> <span class="trans">The guy's height is OK, but he's a little fat. </span>
 
* 这 个 人 身高 <em>还</em> 行,可是 有点 胖。<span class="pinyin">Zhège rén shēngāo <em>hái</em> xíng, kěshì yǒudiǎn pàng. </span> <span class="trans">The guy's height is OK, but he's a little fat. </span>

Revision as of 04:18, 19 January 2016

Whenever you want to imply that something is "good," but also kind of "meh," you can use 还 (hái) in front of the "good" adjective.

Commonly used expressions

Structure

Besides expressing continuation, 还 (hái) can also be used to weaken positive adjectives. This is similar to saying "fairly [good]" or "reasonably [good]" in English. Below are some of the most common adjectives that get "toned down" by 还 (hái) in this structure.

Subj. + 还 + 好 / 可以 / 行 / 不错

These can all be taken to mean "pretty good" or "all right" or "decent" (but also kind of meh... not great). As in English, intonation and facial expressions help convey the meaning. If expectations were low, 还可以 (hái kěyǐ) can have the sense of "pretty darn good"; note the two contrasting examples below of the same sentence.

Examples

  • 好。 hái hǎo. I'm OK.
  • 爸爸 做的菜 可以。 Bàba zuò de cài hái kěyǐ. The food that dad cooks is OK.
  • 我们 老板 不错。Wǒmen lǎobǎn hái bùcuò. Our boss is not too bad.
  • 这 家 店 行,不 太 贵。Zhè jià diàn hái xíng bù tài guì. The shop is OK. Not too expensive.
  • 我 男朋友 的 收入 可以。Wǒ nánpéngyou de shōurù hái kěyǐ. My boyfriend's salary is OK.
  • 新的 办公室 不错。Xīn de bàngōngshì hái bùcuò. The new office is OK.
  • 我 觉得 这里 的 菜 可以,没有 那么 难吃。 Wǒ juéde zhèlǐ de cài hái kěyǐ, méiyǒu nàme nánchī. I think the food here is OK, it is not too bad-tasting.
  • 这 个 牌子 不错,很多 年轻人 喜欢。Zhè ge páizi hái bùcuò,hěnduō niánqīngrén xǐhuan. This brand is not too bad. Many young people like it.
  • 房子 可以,但是 有 点 贵。Fángzi hái kěyǐ, dànshì yǒu diǎn guì.The apartment is not too bad, but it is a bit expensive.
  • 这 个 人 身高 行,可是 有点 胖。Zhège rén shēngāo hái xíng, kěshì yǒudiǎn pàng. The guy's height is OK, but he's a little fat.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books