好不容易 (hǎo bù róng yì) — with great difficulty; after a lot of trouble; only after much effort
Definition
A set phrase meaning 'only after much difficulty' — the 好 inverts 不容易 to emphasize how hard something was. Pairs with 才 to highlight the narrow result, e.g. 才好、才找到.
verb
with great difficultyafter a lot of troubleonly after much effort
Examples
- 好不容易。Wǒ hǎo bù róng yì cái zhǎo dào nà jiā cān tīng.I found that restaurant only after a lot of effort.
- 好不容易。Tā hǎo bù róng yì kǎo shàng le dà xué.He got into college after great difficulty.
- 好不容易。Wǒ men hǎo bù róng yì gǎn shàng zuì hòu yì bān chē.We caught the last bus only after a lot of trouble.
Grammar
Appears in
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