What does it mean word for word?
The word consists of 搞 (gǎo), meaning to do or to handle and 定 (dìng), meaning fixed or settled.
Which one should you use?
Use 完成 (wánchéng) for a standard, formal sense of being done or 做完了 (zuò wán le) in informal settings to mean finishing a specific task.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
搞定 is an informal, colloquial term suitable for use with friends or in casual work environments. For more formal situations, the standard word is 完成.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions, such as parts of Southern China, people may use the colloquial phrase 弄好了 (nòng hǎo le) to mean done. In Northeast China, the informal phrase 干完了 (gàn wán le) is often used in a similar way.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle 了 (le) after 搞定 to form 搞定了 creates the aspect of completion, which is often used to say 'It's done' or 'It's been settled'.
How do you pronounce it?
gǎodìng
Did you know?
- The phrase 搞定 is actually a Mandarin adaptation of the Cantonese phrase 搞掂 (gaau2 dim6).
- The word 搞 (gǎo) is a common 'chameleon' verb in Chinese. It can be used to mean 'to do', 'to manipulate', or 'to organize', depending entirely on the context of the phrase.
- Using the formal 完成 (wánchéng) in a casual setting with friends can sound unnaturally stiff or like a textbook reading.
Examples in context
- 汤姆说他已经全部搞定了。Tom said he's done all of that already.This sentence shows how to say someone has completed all of something using 搞定.Tatoeba #13901022 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #6224017 by CK
- 搞定！Done!This sentence shows the word used as a standalone exclamation for 'Done!'Tatoeba #13142069 by JackyJiaqiSun, translation #11009467 by shekitten
- 搞定了！It's done!This sentence shows the form with the completion particle used to say 'It's done!'Tatoeba #13788194 by LeviHighway, translation #1488133 by arnxy20
- 我已完成这个项目。(Wǒ yǐ wánchéng zhège xiàngmù.)I have completed this project.
- 会议已经结束了。(Huìyì yǐjīng jiéshù le.)The meeting is already done.
- 你做完了吗？(Nǐ zuò wán le ma?)Are you done (with what you were doing)?
- 这个问题我们已经搞定了。(Zhège wèntí wǒmen yǐjīng gǎo dìng le.)We have already got the problem sorted out.
- 这个问题我已经弄好了。(Zhège wèntí wǒ yǐjīng nòng hǎo le.)I have already finished dealing with this problem.
- 任务干完了。(Rènwù gàn wán le.)The task is done.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yuting and Junjie are cleaning the kitchen together.
- 雨婷 Yuting俊杰，你把碗洗好了吗？Jùnjié, nǐ bǎ wǎn xǐ hǎo le ma?Junjie, have you finished washing the dishes?
- 俊杰 Junjie已经搞定了，你可以来拿。Yǐjīng gǎodìng le, nǐ kěyǐ lái ná.It's done, you can come get them.
- 雨婷 Yuting太好了，那我现在去擦桌子。Tài hǎo le, nà wǒ xiànzài qù cā zhuōzi.Great, I'll wipe the table now.
- 俊杰 Junjie没问题，这次终于搞定啦！Méi wèntí, zhè cì zhōngyú gǎodìng la!No problem, we've finally got it done!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 搞定, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
