好 + Verb (easy to)

• Pinyin: hǎo
• Formation: Subject + (很) 好 + Verb
• Hanzi breakdown: 好 = 女 (woman) + 子 (child)

Meaning

When 好 (hǎo) is placed before a verb, it means 'easy to' do that action. This is different from 好 meaning 'good' — here it indicates the ease or pleasantness of performing the verb.

The pattern 好 + Verb functions as an adjective describing something as easy or pleasant to do. Common examples include 好吃 (delicious, easy/pleasant to eat), 好看 (good-looking, pleasant to look at), 好听 (nice-sounding, pleasant to listen to), and 好用 (easy to use). This is the opposite of 难 + Verb, which means 'hard to.' Note that 好 + Verb compounds are usually used as adjectives to describe nouns or as predicates, not as standalone verb phrases. Learners sometimes confuse this with 好 as an adverb meaning 'very' in colloquial speech, but the structures are different.

Examples

1. 这首歌真好听。 This song sounds really nice.
2. 这种水果很好吃。 This kind of fruit is very delicious.
3. 这本书很好懂。 This book is very easy to understand.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 这个软件很好用。
• 这件衣服很好洗。
• 这把椅子很好坐。

Don't Say

• 这个菜好吃了。(Do not add 了 directly after 好 + Verb when describing a general quality — 了 implies a change, use 很好吃 for a simple description) → 这个菜很好吃。
• 我好吃这个菜。(好 + Verb describes the object, not the subject's action — the subject should be the thing being described, not the person) → 这个菜很好吃。

Origin & History

The use of 好 to mean 'easy to' comes from its core meaning of 'good.' Something that is 'good to eat' naturally implies it is pleasant and easy to eat. This semantic extension from quality to ease is found across many Chinese adjective-verb compounds.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal