adj.
good-looking; attractive; interesting to watch
好看
good-looking; attractive; interesting to watch
Literally 'good to look at' (好 good + 看 look). Describes attractive people, beautiful sights, or captivating movies/books.
Common Usage & Traps
- 很好看 — very good-looking / very nice-looking
- 好看的衣服 — pretty clothes
- 真好看 — really pretty / really nice
- 电影很好看 — the movie is good / fun to watch
- 不好看 — not good-looking / not fun to watch
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好看很很好看很 goes before 好看, not after it.
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你是好看你很好看 / 你很漂亮是 links nouns; descriptions like 好看 do not need it.
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很漂亮好看很漂亮 / 很好看Stacking two look-words sounds like a robot translation; pick one or use 又...又...
Can 好看 describe a movie, or is it only for faces?
好看 covers looks, movies, books, and clothes—not just faces.
Learners often map 好看 to English 'good-looking' and assume it only describes people. Native speakers also use it for anything you watch or read: 电影、电视剧、书. For people, 好看 means attractive; for media, it means enjoyable or interesting. If you mean 'pretty' for a woman, 漂亮 is also common.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Movie | 电影很好看。 | 电影很漂亮。 (when you mean fun to watch) |
| Book | 这本书很好看。 | 这本书很漂亮。 (when you mean interesting) |
好看 vs 漂亮: when does 漂亮 sound wrong?
好看 is broader; 漂亮 usually means pretty or beautifully done.
好看 can mean pretty, good-looking, or interesting to watch, depending on the noun. 漂亮 often means visually pretty or impressive, like a woman, dress, or performance. You can say 电影很好看, but 电影很漂亮 usually sounds like the film's visuals are beautiful. If the movie is boring, 漂亮 is simply the wrong word to use.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | 好看 can mean interesting | 漂亮 only means pretty |
| Book content | 这本书很好看。 | 这本书很漂亮。 |
| Movie fun | 电影很好看。 | 电影很漂亮。 |
Do I always need 很 before 好看?
No. 很 softens a plain description; 都 and contrast can replace it.
Chinese often adds 很 before a description word in simple neutral sentences. It does not always mean 'very'; it often just makes the sentence sound complete. In 天天都好看, 都 already covers 'every day,' so 很 is not required. In contrast, 很好看 is the normal neutral way to say 'good-looking' about one person or thing.
“天天都好看。” (Every day is a beautiful day.)
“天天都好看。” (Every day is a beautiful day.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral look | 你很好看。 | 你好看。 (sounds like a comparison or unfinished) |
| Word order | 很好看 | 好看很 |
| Every day | 天天都好看。 | 天天好看。 (less natural) |
Why does 你是好看 sound broken?
是 links nouns; descriptions like 好看 skip it.
English says 'You are good-looking,' so learners often add 是 before 好看. Chinese uses 是 to link two nouns, like 我是老师 or 他是学生, and say who someone is. For a description, put 很 or another word like 真 before 好看 to make it sound natural. So 你很好看 works fine, while 你是好看 sounds like a broken identity statement.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | 我是老师。 | 我是好看。 |
| Looks | 你很好看。 | 你是好看。 |
| Emphasis | 她真好看。 | 她是真好看。 |
Appears in Stories 3 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
This playful poem turns numbers into a rhythm of daily life. As you read, practice counting, days of the week, and common time words in a fun, memorable way.
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天天都 好看 。
Before you read, close your eyes and imagine a rainy afternoon. This story uses simple HSK 1 words to show how rain can become a talking friend.
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雨 好看 。
This short poem plays with words that sound alike, comparing things that are good to watch, read, hear, or taste. Perfect for practicing basic adjectives like 好 and 真.
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好电影 好看 ，好书不好看。
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好菜真好吃，好吃也 好看 。
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