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HSK 2 · Elementary

还可以Hái kěyǐNot Bad in Chinese

HSK 2 reading practice · 76 words · ~1 min
周末zhōumò,我wǒ和hé朋友péngyou去qù看kàn一个yí ge新xīn电影diànyǐng。
On the weekend, my friend and I go watch a new movie.
电影diànyǐng看kàn完wán以后yǐhòu,朋友péngyou问wèn我wǒ:“电影diànyǐng怎么样zěnmeyàng?”
After the movie finishes, my friend asks me: "How was the movie?"
我wǒ说shuō:“还可以hái kěyǐ,一般yìbān。”
I say: "Not bad, average."
朋友péngyou说shuō:“我wǒ也yě觉得juéde还行hái xíng,可是kěshì有点儿yǒudiǎnr长cháng。”
My friend says: "I think it's not bad too, but it's a little long."
我们wǒmen从cóng电影院diànyǐngyuàn出来chūlái,一起yìqǐ去qù前面qiánmiàn的de饭馆fànguǎn吃饭chīfàn。
We come out of the cinema and go together to the restaurant up ahead to eat.
服务员fúwùyuán问wèn:“菜cài怎么样zěnmeyàng?”我们wǒmen一起yìqǐ说shuō:“还可以hái kěyǐ!”
The waiter asks: "How's the food?" We both say together: "Not bad!"
🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

还可以hái kěyǐnot bad; OK
还行hái xíngpretty good; not bad
一般yìbānso-so; average
电影院diànyǐngyuàncinema
长chánglong
菜càidish; food

Grammar note 语法点

还可以(not bad; OK)

还可以 gives a neutral answer to 怎么样 — not great, not bad, right in the middle.

还可以,一般。— Not bad, average.
还行(pretty good — spoken version of 还可以)

还行 is the casual, spoken way to say something is not bad, often followed by a small complaint with 可是.

我也觉得还行,可是有点儿长。— I think it's not bad too, but it's a little long.
A + 怎么样?(asking for an opinion)

怎么样 placed after a topic asks what someone thinks of it.

电影怎么样?— How was the movie?

Check yourself 小测验

1. What does 还可以 mean here?
2. What one complaint does the friend have about the movie?
3. Where do the two friends go after the movie?

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