好生 (hǎo shēng) — carefully; properly (in polite requests or instructions); quite; exceedingly (dialectal, northern Chinese)

Definition

好生 (hǎo) in standard use is an adverb meaning 'carefully / properly' in polite requests (好生照顾自己). In northern dialect it can also mean 'quite, exceedingly' (好生气 = very angry).

adverb
carefullyproperly (in polite requests or instructions)quiteexceedingly (dialectal, northern Chinese)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Nǐ yào hǎo shēng zhào gù zì jǐ.
    You should take good care of yourself.
  • 好生。
    Qǐng hǎo shēng bǎo guǎn zhè xiē wén jiàn.
    Please keep these documents carefully.
  • 好生，。
    Tā hǎo shēng shēng qì, wǒ men bié rě tā.
    He is quite angry; let's not provoke him.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

好hǎowell
生shēngsuffix

好 conveys well and 生 adds a careful manner sense.

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 →

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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