ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/B2.old/Grammar-wiki-B2-32.txt

{{Grammar Box}} 
好不容易 (hǎo bù róngyì) means "very difficult" or "really not easy." It is often used where the speaker wants to comment on the result of their hard work, something like "It was really hard for me do to do x, but then I realized y."

==Adverbial Structure with 才==

===Structure===

Sentences using 好不容易 are often followed by [[Expressing lateness with "cai"|才]], emphasizing the action has been completed later than expected. Strange as it might seem, 好容易 has the same meaning as 好不容易, and can be used interchangeably.

<div class="jiegou">

Subj. + 好容易 / 好不容易 + 才 + Verb，[Result Sentence]

</div>

===Examples===

<div class="liju">

* 我们 <em>好不容易</em> <strong>才</strong>做完这个项目，结果 合同 取消 了。<span class="trans">With great difficulty, we finally finished this project. As a result, the contract is up.</span>
* 我 <em>好不容易</em>  <strong>才</strong> 到 市 中心， 却 发现 没 带 手机，只好 回去 拿。<span class="trans">It took me a long time to reach the city center, then I realized I had forgotten my cell phone and had to go back and get it.</span>
* 金融 危机 之后 他 <em>好不容易</em>  <strong>才</strong> 找到 工作，现在 又 辞职 了。<span class="trans">After the financial crisis, he had a hard time finding a job. Now he's resigning.</span>
* 我 <em>好不容易</em>  <strong>才</strong> 打通 了 银行 的 服务 热线。<span class="trans"> With great difficulty, they finally climbed to the top of the mountain.As a result,it started raining heavily.</span>
* 他们 <em>好不容易</em>  <strong>才</strong> 爬 到 了 山顶，结果 下起 了 大雨。<span class="trans">They.</span>
</div>

== Adjectival Structure (without 才) ==

===Structure===

<div class="jiegou">

Verb / [Verb Phrase] + 好容易 / 好不容易 

</div>

In this structure one can only use “好(不)容易” to express “with great difficulty”. At the end of the sentence particles such as “啊” or “哦” will also often be used to emphasize emotion.

===Examples===

<div class="liju">

* 要 完成 这 个 大 项目<em>好不容易</em> 啊。<span class="trans">Finishing this big project will not be an easy task.</span>
* 养 大 一 个 孩子 <em>好不容易</em>。<span class="trans">Raising a child is not an easy thing to do.</span>
* 创办 一 个 公司 <em>好不容易</em> 啊。<span class="trans">Starting a company isn't easy.</span>

</div>

==See also==
* [[Easy to do something]]
* [[Difficult to do something]]

== Sources  and further reading ==
=== Books ===

* [[Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 2 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇) ]] (pp. 100，110-11)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00112ZL5A/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00112ZL5A →buy] 
*[[卓越汉语－公司实战篇]] (p. 77-8) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD-%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87-%E8%83%A1%E7%81%B5%E5%9D%87/dp/B003QZWQ6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347863170&sr=8-1 →buy]

[[Category: B2 grammar points]]
[[Category: Adverb]]
{{Basic Grammar|好容易|B2|好(不)容易|我 <em>好不容易</em> 才 打通 了 银行 的 服务 热线。|grammar point|ASG81QV3}}
{{Rel char|好不容易}}
{{Rel char|不}}
{{Rel char|好}}
{{Rel char|容易}}
{{Similar|Easy to do something}}
{{Similar|Difficult to do something}}
{{Similar|Expressing not knowing how to do something using "hao"}}
{{Translation|difficult}}
{{POS|Adverbs}}
{{Used for| Expressing quality}}