hǎo bù hǎo: 好不好 - Okay? / Is it good? / How about...?

Keywords: hao bu hao, 好不好, Chinese tag question, how to say okay in Chinese, affirmative-negative question, hao ma vs hao bu hao, Chinese for “how about it”, Chinese suggestion phrase, learn Chinese grammar

Summary: Learn the essential Chinese phrase 好不好 (hǎo bù hǎo), a versatile and common way to ask “Okay?”, “Is it good?”, or “How about it?”. This guide explores its use in making suggestions, seeking agreement, and even expressing impatience. Discover the cultural nuances behind this simple “good-not-good” question structure and understand the key differences between 好不好 (hǎo bù hǎo) and 好吗 (hǎo ma) to make your spoken Chinese sound more natural and authentic.

Pinyin (with tone marks): hǎo bù hǎo

Part of Speech: Phrase / Adjectival Question

HSK Level: HSK 2

Concise Definition: A common phrase used to ask for agreement or an opinion, literally meaning “good not good?”.

In a Nutshell: 好不好 (hǎo bù hǎo) is a fundamental example of an affirmative-negative question in Chinese. By presenting both the positive (`好`, good) and the negative (`不好`, not good), you create a choice question. It's a soft and conversational way to make a suggestion or ask for someone's opinion, similar to adding “…, okay?” or “…, right?” to the end of a sentence in English. It invites collaboration and agreement.

好 (hǎo): This character means “good,” “well,” or “fine.” It's famously depicted as a combination of 女 (nǚ), meaning “woman,” and 子 (zǐ), meaning “child.” The traditional interpretation is that a woman with her child represents something good, complete, and harmonious.

不 (bù): This is one of the most common characters in Chinese and is the primary way to negate something. It simply means “not” or “no.”

The structure 好不好 (hǎo bù hǎo) literally asks the listener to choose between the two options: “good” or “not good.” This transforms a statement into a gentle, consensus-seeking question.

Seeking Harmony and Consensus: The use of 好不好 is deeply rooted in the cultural value of harmony (和谐, héxié). Instead of issuing a direct command or asking a blunt yes/no question, this structure softens the inquiry into a suggestion. It gives the listener “face” (面子, miànzi) by making them feel like a valued participant in the decision-making process, rather than someone being ordered around.

Indirect Communication: Compared to the directness often valued in Western cultures, this phrase exemplifies a more indirect communication style. Asking “We'll go at 7, 好不好?” is much softer than “Are we going at 7?”. The former is a proposal open to discussion, while the latter can feel more like a demand for a simple yes or no. It creates a collaborative feeling, even for simple plans. This is different from the English “…, right?”, which is often used to confirm something the speaker already believes to be true. 好不好 is more genuinely about soliciting the other person's input.

行不行 (xíng bù xíng) - “Will it work? / Is it feasible?”. Similar to `好不好` but focuses more on feasibility or permissibility than on quality or preference.

可不可以 (kě bù kěyǐ) - “Can I/we? / Is it possible?”. Used specifically to ask for permission.

对不对 (duì bù duì) - “Correct? / Right?”. Used to confirm a fact or statement you believe is true.

是不是 (shì bù shì) - “Is it or isn't it? / Right?”. Used to confirm a state of being, an identity, or an assumption.

好吗 (hǎo ma) - The main alternative for asking “okay?”. It's more neutral and less suggestive than `好不好`.

怎么样 (zěnmeyàng) - “How about it? / How is it? / What do you think?”. A more open-ended way to ask for an opinion.

好的 (hǎo de) - A very common affirmative reply, meaning “Okay,” “Sure,” or “Got it.”

行啊 (xíng a) - A casual, positive response meaning “Sure!” or “That works!”.

可以 (kěyǐ) - “Can,” “may,” or “okay.” A common one-word response to show permission or agreement.