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好人 (hǎo rén) — good person, nice person; someone who tries to please everyone, a people-pleaser (often with a slightly negative connotation)

Definition

Usually means 'good person' (someone kind, helpful). In a negative context, 老好人 calls out a people-pleaser who avoids conflict — never say what they really think.

noun
good personnice personsomeone who tries to please everyone, a people-pleaser (often with a slightly negative connotation)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 好人，。
    Tā zhēn shì gè hǎo rén, zǒng shì bāng zhù bié rén.
    He's really a good person, always helping others.
  • ，。
    Bié zuò lǎo hǎo rén, gāi jù jué de shí hou yào jù jué.
    Don't be a pushover — you need to say no when you should.
  • 好人，。
    Dà jiā dōu shuō tā shì hǎo rén, dàn wǒ jué de tā tài yuán huá le.
    Everyone says he's a good person, but I think he's too slick.

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
人rénperson

“好” (good) and “人” (person) combine to mean a good or nice person.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →
Appears in
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