The Chinese phrase 好不好 (hǎo bù hǎo) is a very common and useful expression. It literally translates to "good not good," but its function in conversation is similar to asking for agreement, confirmation, or an opinion, much like "okay?" or "alright?" in English.
Here are the main ways to use it in conversation or sentences:
1. As a Tag Question (Seeking Agreement or Confirmation)
This is the most frequent use. You attach it to the end of a statement to turn it into a question, seeking the listener's agreement or opinion.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Literal Translation | English Equivalent |
| 我们去吃饭，好不好？ | Wǒmen qù chīfàn, hǎo bù hǎo? | We go eat, good not good? | Let's go eat, okay/alright? |
| 你明天早点来，好不好？ | Nǐ míngtiān zǎodiǎn lái, hǎo bù hǎo? | You tomorrow early come, good not good? | Come a bit earlier tomorrow, will you? / Okay? |
| 这个周末我们去看电影，好不好？ | Zhège zhōumò wǒmen qù kàn diànyǐng, hǎo bù hǎo? | This weekend we go watch movie, good not good? | We're going to see a movie this weekend, how about that? |
| 我们先休息一下，好不好？ | Wǒmen xiān xiūxí yīxià, hǎo bù hǎo? | We first rest a little, good not good? | Let's take a break first, shall we? |
2. Asking for a Simple Opinion or Quality
Less common than the tag question, but it can be used to ask for a direct opinion about the quality of something.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English Translation |
| 你觉得这件衣服好不好？ | Nǐ juéde zhè jiàn yīfu hǎo bù hǎo? | Do you think this piece of clothing is good or not good? / Is it nice? |
| 这部电影好不好看？ | Zhè bù diànyǐng hǎo bù hǎo kàn? | Is this movie good (to watch) or not? (Often shortened to 好不好看) |
| 这里的菜味道好不好？ | Zhèlǐ de cài wèidào hǎo bù hǎo? | Is the taste of the dishes here good? |
3. As a Rhetorical Question (Suggesting an Action)
It can be used somewhat rhetorically to strongly suggest an action, often with a slight tone of urging or even impatience, depending on context and tone.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English Translation |
| 你快点走，好不好！ | Nǐ kuài diǎn zǒu, hǎo bù hǎo! | You hurry up and leave, okay! (Implies Hurry up!) |
| 认真听我说话，好不好！ | Rènzhēn tīng wǒ shuōhuà, hǎo bù hǎo! | Listen to me seriously, alright! (Implies Pay attention!) |
Important Note on Alternatives
While 好不好 is very common, other similar tag questions exist:
对不对 (duì bú duì): "Correct or not correct?" - Used to check for factual accuracy ("right?").
可以吗 (kěyǐ ma): "Is it permissible?" - Used to ask for permission ("May I?" or "Can we?").
行不行 (xíng bù xíng): "Will it work or not?" - Similar to 好不好, but slightly more focused on feasibility/doability ("will that do?").
