"不知道⋯⋯好" (bù zhīdào...hǎo) is an expression used to indicate and emphasize that the speaker does not know how to do something, or at least does not know how to do something well.

Structure

You will sometimes see the adverb 才 preceding the final 好, which serves the purpose of emphasis.

Examples

我真的不知道怎么办好。 Wǒ zhēnde bù zhīdào zěnmebàn hǎo.
I really don't know what to do with it.
我们都不知道说什么好。 Wǒmen dōu bù zhīdào shuō shénme hǎo.
None of us knew what to say about it.
他的短信我不知道怎么回复好。 Tā de duǎnxìn wǒ bù zhīdào zěnme huífù hǎo.
I don't know how to reply to his message.
这些东西妈妈不知道放在哪儿好。 Zhèxiē dōngxi māma bù zhīdào fàng zài nǎr hǎo.
Mom doesn't know where to put these stuff.
好吃的太多了，他不知道先吃哪个好。 Hǎochī de tài duō le, tā bù zhīdào xiān chī nǎge hǎo.
There are too much delicious food. He doesn't know which one to start with.
十一她不知道去哪儿玩好。 Shíyī tā bù zhīdào qù nǎr wán hǎo.
She doesn't know where to go for fun during National Day holidays.
都很漂亮，我不知道买哪件好。 Dōu hěn piàoliang, wǒ bù zhīdào mǎi nǎ jiàn hǎo.
They are all beautiful. I'm not sure which one to buy.
经理不知道让谁去好。 Jīnglǐ bù zhīdào ràng shéi qù hǎo.
The manager doesn't know who to send there.
我们不知道怪谁好。 Wǒmen bù zhīdào guài shéi hǎo.
We don't know who to blame.
我想跟她表白，但是我不知道什么时候说好。 Wǒ xiǎng gēn tā biǎobái, dànshì wǒ bù zhīdào shénme shíhou shuō hǎo.
I want to confess to her, but I'm not sure when to say it.

Contents

Structure

Examples

See also

Sources and further reading