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Level

[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)

Similar to

- [Result complements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complements) (B1) - [Expressing difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_difficulty_with_%22hao_(bu)_rongyi%22) (B2)

Used for

[Expressing quality](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_quality), [Comprehending](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comprehending)

Keywords

[不知道](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%B8%8D%E7%9F%A5%E9%81%93), [好](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%A5%BD)

[![Chinese-grammar-wiki-hao.jpg](Expressing%20not%20knowing%20how%20to%20do%20something%20using%20%22hao%22%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/300px-Chinese-grammar-wiki-hao.jpg "fig:Chinese-grammar-wiki-hao.jpg"){width="300" height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-hao.jpg)

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.

Contents -------- [hide]([# "wikilink")\]

- [1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [3 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [4 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [4.1 Books](#Books "wikilink")

Structure ---------------------------------------------------------

Subj. + 不知道 + \[Verb Phrase\] + 好

This verb phrase usually includes a question word, like 什么, 谁, 怎么, 哪个, 哪里, 什么时候, etc. You will sometimes see the adverb 才 preceding the 好, which serves the purpose of emphasis. Examples -------------------------------------------------------

- 我真的 *不知道* **怎么** 办 **才** *好* 。Wǒ zhēnde *bù zhīdào* **zěnme** bàn **cái** *hǎo*.I really don't know what to do about this . - 我们都 *不知道* 说 **什么** *好* 。 Wǒmen dōu *bù zhīdào* shuō **shénme** *hǎo*.None of us knew what to say. - 这件事我 *不知道* 跟 **谁** 说 *好* 。Zhè jiàn shì wǒ *bù zhīdào* gēn **shéi** shuō *hǎo*.I'm not sure who to talk to about this piece of matter. - 老板 *不知道* 怪 **谁** *好* 。Lǎobǎn *bù zhīdào* guài **shéi** *hǎo*.The boss wasn't sure who to blame. - 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. - 这些钱他 *不知道* 放在 **哪儿** **才** *好* 。 Zhèxiē qián tā *bù zhīdào* fàng zài **nǎr** **cái** *hǎo*.He doesn't know where to put this money. - 下雨天我 *不知道* 带孩子去 **哪儿** 玩 *好* 。Xiàyǔ tiān wǒ *bù zhīdào* dài hāizi qù **nǎr** wán *hǎo*.On rainy days, I don't know where to take my kid to play. - 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. - 好吃的太多了，孩子们 *不知道* 先吃 **哪个** **才** *好* 。 Hǎochī de tài duō le, háizi men *bù zhīdào* xiān chī **nǎge** **cái** *hǎo*.There are too much delicious food. The children don't know which one to start with. - 我想问，可是 *不知道* **什么时候** 问 **才** *好* 。Wǒ xiǎng wèn, kěshì *bù zhīdào* **shénme shíhou** wèn **cái** *hǎo*.I want to ask, but I'm not sure when to ask.

See also ------------------------------------------------------- - [Expressing lateness with "cai"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_lateness_with_%22cai%22) - [Expressing Difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_Difficulty_with_%22hao_(bu)_rongyi%22) - [Result complement "-hao"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complement_%22-hao%22) Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语中级冲刺篇)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Boya_Chinese_Upper_Intermediate_1_(%E5%8D%9A%E9%9B%85%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E4%B8%AD%E7%BA%A7%E5%86%B2%E5%88%BA%E7%AF%87)) (pp. 77) [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7301075316/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7301075316)

[Category](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories): - [B1 grammar points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)

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