很好吃
hěn hào chī
In Chinese, "the food was good" is expressed as 很好吃 (hěn hào chī).
This phrase is used to say that food tastes delicious.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of two parts: 很 (hěn), which literally means "very" and is often used as a grammatical filler and 好吃 (hǎochī), which is a compound of '好' (good) and '吃' (to eat), literally meaning "good to eat".
Which one should you use?
Use 很好吃 (hěn hǎochī) specifically for food, whereas 很好看 (hěn hǎokàn) would be used to say something looks good. An alternative way to say the food was good is 味道很好 (wèidào hěn hǎo), which focuses on the flavor.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, the phrase 很好吃 does not require a linking verb like 'is' (是) when used with an adjective.
How do you pronounce it?
hěn hào chī
Did you know?
- The word 吃 (chī) is used in many Chinese idioms to describe consuming things other than food, such as 'eating' bitterness (hardship).
- The character 好 (hǎo) in 好吃 is composed of the radicals for 'woman' and 'child', symbolizing the ancient concept of 'good'.
- Chinese has an 'opposite' for 好吃 that isn't just 'bad'. While 不好吃 means 'not tasty', the word 难吃 (nán chī) specifically means 'difficult to eat' because the taste is so unpleasant.
Examples in context
- 这顿饭真是太棒了！This meal is absolutely fantastic!
- 哇！这道菜好吃到爆了！Wow! This dish is crazy delicious!
- 妈妈做的饭很好吃。Māma zuò de fàn hěn hǎochī.The food mom made is delicious.
- 这家餐厅的菜很好吃。Zhè jiā cāntīng de cài hěn hǎochī.The food at this restaurant is delicious.
- 我觉得这个很好吃。Wǒ juéde zhège hěn hǎochī.I think this is delicious.
Example conversation
Two friends are finishing a meal at a restaurant.
- 俊杰 Junjie佳怡，你觉得这里的面怎么样？Jiāyí, nǐ juéde zhèlǐ de miàn zěnmeyàng?Jiayi, what do you think of the noodles here?
- 佳怡 Jiayi我觉得很好吃！Wǒ juéde hěn hǎochī!I think they are very delicious!
- 俊杰 Junjie我也这么觉得。Wǒ yě zhème juéde.I think so too.
- 佳怡 Jiayi下次我们再来吃。Xiàcì wǒmen zài lái chī.Let's come eat here again next time.
