{{Grammar Box}} 

"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 ==

<div class="jiegou">

Subj. + 不知道 + Verb Phrase + 好

</div>

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

== Examples ==

<div class="liju">

*我 真的 <em>不 知道</em> 怎么办 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhēnde <em>bù zhīdào</em> zěnmebàn <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I really don't know what to do with it.</span>
*我们 都 <em>不 知道</em> 说 什么 <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>bù zhīdào</em> shuō shénme <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">None of us knew what to say about it.</span>
*他 的 短信 我 <em>不 知道</em> 怎么 回复 <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā de duǎnxìn wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> zěnme huífù <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't know how to reply to his message.</span>
*这些 东西 妈妈 <em>不 知道</em> 放 在 哪儿 <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē dōngxi māma <em>bù zhīdào</em> fàng zài nǎr <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mom doesn't know where to put these stuff.</span>
*好吃 的 太 多 了 ，他 <em>不 知道</em> 先 吃 哪个 <em>好</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Hǎochī de tài duō le, tā <em>bù zhīdào</em> xiān chī nǎge <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">There are too much delicious food. He doesn't know which one to start with.</span>
*十一 她 <em>不 知道</em> 去哪儿 玩 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Shíyī tā <em>bù zhīdào</em> qù nǎr wán <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">She doesn't know where to go for fun during National Day holidays.</span>
*都 很 漂亮 ，我 <em>不 知道</em> 买 哪 件 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Dōu hěn piàoliang, wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> mǎi nǎ jiàn <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">They are all beautiful. I'm not sure which one to buy.</span>
*经理 <em>不 知道</em> 让 谁 去 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Jīnglǐ <em>bù zhīdào</em> ràng shéi qù <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">The manager doesn't know who to send there.</span>
*我们 <em>不 知道</em> 怪 谁 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>bù zhīdào</em> guài shéi <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">We don't know who to blame.</span>
*我 想 跟 她 表白，但是 我 <em>不 知道</em> 什么 时候 说 <em>好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng gēn tā biǎobái, dànshì wǒ <em>bù zhīdào</em> shénme shíhou shuō <em>hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I want to confess to her, but I'm not sure when to say it.</span>

</div>

==See also==
*[[Expressing lateness with "cai"]]
*[[Expressing Difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"]]
*[[Result complement "-hao"]]

== Sources  and further reading ==

* [[Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语中级冲刺篇)]] (p. 77)[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 →buy]

[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Similar|Result complement "-hao"}}
{{Similar|Expressing Difficulty with "hao (bu) rongyi"}}
{{Similar|Expressing lateness with "cai"}}
{{Basic Grammar|不知道|B1|不知道⋯⋯ 好|我 <em>不 知道</em> 怎么 做 才 <em>好</em>。|grammar point|ASG0EQQJ}}
{{Rel char|好}}
{{Rel char|不}}
{{Rel char|道}}
{{Rel char|知}}
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
{{Used for| Expressing quality}}
{{Used for|Comprehending}}