好（不）容易

• Pinyin: hǎo (bù) róng yì
• Hanzi breakdown: 好 = 女 (woman) + 子 (child), meaning good; 不 = negation; 容易 = easy

Meaning

With great difficulty; after much effort. Emphasizing that something was hard to achieve.

Both 好容易 and 好不容易 mean the same thing despite appearing opposite — this is a quirk of Chinese. The phrase emphasizes the effort and time invested. Often followed by 才 (only then). Used to show relief, frustration, or the value of an achievement.

Examples

1. 我好不容易才抢到这场演唱会的票，结果演唱会因为天气取消了。 I finally managed to snag tickets to this concert with great difficulty, only for it to be canceled due to weather.
2. 好不容易熬过了期末考试周，终于可以好好休息几天了。 Having finally survived finals week, I can finally rest properly for a few days.
3. 她好容易攒够了首付，却发现房价又涨了一大截。 She finally saved up enough for a down payment, only to find that housing prices had shot up again.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, complaints, storytelling

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 好不容易找到的工作，好好珍惜吧。(This job you found with such difficulty — cherish it.)
• 好容易才说服他同意。(I finally managed to persuade him to agree.)

Don't Say

• 在正式书面语中用好不容易 (In formal writing, use 费尽周折 or 历尽艰辛 instead)

Origin & History

The phrase appears paradoxical: 好容易 (how easy) and 好不容易 (how not easy) both mean 'with difficulty.' This is because 好 here is an intensifier meaning 'very,' and 不 was added for emphasis without changing the meaning.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal