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好样 (hǎo yàng) — praiseworthy; exemplary (often in 好样的 'good job!')

Definition

Used almost exclusively in the set phrase 好样的 ('good job!' / 'well done!') as a short, admiring remark about someone's behavior or performance. Not used as a standalone adjective in everyday speech.

adjective
praiseworthyexemplary (often in 好样的 'good job!')

Examples

  • 好样。
    Tā zhè cì biǎo xiàn zhēn shì hǎo yàng.
    His performance this time is truly praiseworthy.
  • 好样。
    Dà jiā dōu kuā nǐ shì gè hǎo yàng qīng nián.
    Everyone praises you as an exemplary young person.
  • 好样。
    Zhè zhǒng hǎo yàng zuò fēng zhí dé tuī guǎng.
    This kind of exemplary work style is worth promoting.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

好hǎogood
样yàngappearance

好 means good and 样 means appearance, so praiseworthy or exemplary.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

好 joins 女 (woman) and 子 (child), understood as a woman with a child, linked to goodness or affection.

Open 好 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樣; 样 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
羕
羕yàng樣yàng
Same sound today

For 样, the traditional form 樣 pairs 木 (wood) with 羕 as a sound part.

Open 样 →
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