好看
hǎokàn
good-looking / nice / attractive
好看 means something looks good — clothes, photos, interior design, a person's appearance. It is the go-to compliment when shopping or browsing.
Example sentences
这件衣服很好看。
Zhè jiàn yīfu hěn hǎokàn.
This piece of clothing looks really nice.
你觉得哪个颜色好看？
Nǐ juéde nǎge yánsè hǎokàn?
Which color do you think looks better?
How to use 好看 in practice
好看 is a shopping item that is easiest to learn inside a complete sentence. Read it with the pinyin hǎokàn, then connect it to the meaning “good-looking / nice / attractive” before trying to use it from memory. The examples on this page show the phrase in context: 这件衣服很好看。 / 你觉得哪个颜色好看？.
When you practice 好看, do not stop at recognition. Say one example aloud, swap in a new person, place, object, or time word, and then use the phrase in a short answer. This turns a glossary entry into real Mandarin output and exposes word-order or pronunciation mistakes quickly.
Common learner mistake
A common learner mistake is to memorize 好看 only as “good-looking / nice / attractive” and then translate word by word from English. Instead, learn the whole chunk with the words around it. Notice which nouns, verbs, measure words, or polite markers appear before and after the phrase, and copy that pattern in your own sentence.
Mini practice prompt
Practice prompt: open Shopping Chinese guide, start a short conversation, and use 好看 naturally in your first or second reply. If the sentence feels awkward, compare it with the examples above and try again with a smaller sentence.
Memory tip: review 好看 tomorrow by covering the English meaning, reading only hǎokàn, and producing a sentence before checking the examples. Active recall helps this word survive beyond one reading session.
Practice related pages
FAQ
Can I use 好看 for people?
Yes. 她很好看 means she is good-looking. For men you can also use 帅. 漂亮 is a stronger compliment for women specifically.
How can I remember 好看 faster?
Say 好看 inside a full sentence, change one detail, and repeat it in a realistic prompt. The combination of sound, meaning, and context is stronger than memorizing the translation alone.
Can I use 好看 in conversation practice?
Yes. Start with the example sentence, then use 好看 in a short AI conversation so you can see whether the surrounding word order and tone feel natural.
Published by AI Chinese Coach