Updated on December 27, 2022
Do you know how to say “not bad” in Chinese? Let’s learn!
Welcome to Ming Mandarin’s free online Mandarin Chinese lessons. In this lesson, we are going to learn how to express the following feelings in Mandarin Chinese:
- Just so so,
- Not bad,
- Just average, and
- Not very good (just ok/passable).
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#1 Just So So
- Just so so: yì bān (一般)
- Just so so: yì bān bān (一般般)
Examples
Q: How is it going recently? : Zuìjìn zěnmeyàng (最近怎么样)
A: Just so so: Hěn yì bān (很一般)
Q: What do you think of the taste of this dish? : Nǐ juéde zhè ge cài de wèidao zěnmeyàng (你觉得这个菜的味道怎么样)
A: Just so so: Yì bān bān (一般般)
#2 Not Bad
- Not bad: hái kěyǐ (还可以)
- Not bad: hái xíng (还行)
Examples
Q: How’s the weather next week?: Xià zhōu de tiānqì hǎoma (下周的天气好吗)
A: Not bad: Hái kěyǐ (还可以)
#3 Just Average
- Just average: hěnpǔtōng (很普通)
Example
Q: How about this T-shirt?: Zhèjiàn T xù zěnmeyàng (这件T恤怎么样)
A: I think just normal (ordinary/average): Wǒ juéde hěn pǔtōng (我觉得很普通)
- Lesson 1 (Level 1): Common Mandarin Chinese Verbs with Examples
- Lesson 1 (Level 2): How To Say “To Think” With 以为 In Chinese?
- Lesson 1 (Level 3): Learn Must Know Famous Chinese Idioms
- Lesson 1 (Level 4): 2 Must Know Famous Ancient Chinese Poems
- Lesson 1 (Level 5): Chinese Reading Practice with Pinyin & English
#4 Not Very Good (Just Okay)
- Not very good: mǎma hūhu (马马虎虎)
Example
Q: Are you a good swimmer? Nǐ yóuyǒng yóu de zěnmeyàng (你游泳游得怎么样)
A：Just so-so, I can’t swim far: Mǎma hūhu, yóu de bùyuǎn (马马虎虎，游得不远)
So, can you now express “not bad” in daily life Mandarin Chinese conversations? Let me know in the comments.
-Jia Ming