好意

• Pinyin: hǎo yì
• Hanzi breakdown: 好 = 女 + 子 (good); 意 = 音 (sound) + 心 (heart) — meaning/intention

Meaning

Good intentions; kind thought; goodwill. The benevolent motive behind a gesture or action.

Used to acknowledge or explain the kind spirit behind an act, whether or not it succeeded. Often collocates with 好意 难却 (hard to decline someone's kindness) or 心领好意 (appreciate the thought). Slightly more formal than 好心.

Examples

1. 我理解你的好意，但这件事我需要独立完成。 I understand your goodwill, but I need to complete this independently.
2. 盛情难却，我就接受你的好意了。 It was such a kind offer that I couldn’t really refuse, so I accepted.
3. 她送来的礼物我收下了，以免辜负她的好意。 I accepted the gift she brought so I wouldn’t disappoint her kindness.

Usage Guide

Context: gratitude, declining offers politely, interpersonal

Tone: polite

Do Say

• 谢谢你的好意，只是这次我真的不需要帮忙。(Thank you for your good intentions — I genuinely don't need help this time.)
• 他是出于好意才提出建议的，你不必太在意。(He gave that suggestion with good intentions — you don't need to take it to heart.)

Don't Say

• 好意 interchangeably with 好感 — 好意 is about motives/intentions, 好感 is about favourable impressions of a person

Origin & History

好 (good) + 意 (intention; meaning) — kind intention

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal