看上去不错
kàn shàngqu bùcuò
The English phrase "looks good" is translated into Chinese as 看上去不错 (kàn shàngqu bùcuò).
看上去不错 is used to say that something has a pleasing appearance. This phrase can be used to describe both the visual appearance of an object and the perceived quality of a situation or plan.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 看 (look), 上去 (up/towards/suffix for appearance) and 不错 (not bad/good).
Which one should you use?
While 看上去不错 describes the impression of something looking good, 很好看 is used more specifically to say something is beautiful or aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, the phrase 挺好看 is an informal way to say something looks really good or quite attractive in Chinese.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 看上去 can be replaced with 看起来 with the same meaning. The phrase 看起来不错 is an informal way to say 'looks not bad' in Chinese.
How do you pronounce it?
kàn shàngqu bùcuò
Did you know?
- The word 挺 in 挺好看 is an adverb that literally means 'pierce' or 'thrust', but it functions colloquially as 'quite' or 'very'.
- In many Chinese dialects, if you want to say a meal 'looks good', you might use the word 香 (fragrant) instead of a word for visual appearance.
- The phrase 看上去 functions as a 'directional complement'. The 上去 part does not mean the object is moving upward, but rather that the impression is moving from the object toward the observer.
Examples in context
- 这件衣服看上去不错。Zhè jiàn yīfu kànshàngqu búscuò.This piece of clothing looks good.
- 这家餐厅的菜看上去不错。Zhè jiā cāntīng de cài kànshàngqu búscuò.The food at this restaurant looks good.
- 你的新发型看上去不错。Nǐ de xīn fàxíng kànshàngqu búscuò.Your new hairstyle looks good.
Example conversation
Xiaowen and Haoran are looking at a new apartment's photos.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这个房间看上去不错。Zhège fángjiān kànshàngqu búscuò.This room looks good.
- 浩然 Haoran是啊，采光也很好。Shì a, cǎiguāng yě hěn hǎo.Yes, the natural light is also very good.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen浩然，你觉得呢？Hàorán, nǐ juéde ne?Haoran, what do you think?
- 浩然 Haoran我也觉得看上去不错。Wǒ yě juéde kànshàngqu búscuò.I also think it looks good.
