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正好 (zhèng hǎo) — (adverb) just right; just in time; (adverb) by chance; happen to; it just so happens that; (adjective) just right; exactly fitting

Definition

正好 covers both senses: 'just right' (size, timing) and 'happened to / as it happened'. For pure coincidence, 碰巧 or 恰巧 focus only on chance; 恰好 means 'just right/exactly' in size or time.

adverb
just rightjust in timeby chancehappen toit just so happens that
adjective
just rightexactly fitting

Examples

  • 正好。
    Zhè shuāng xié dà xiǎo zhèng hǎo.
    This pair of shoes fits just right.
  • 正好。
    Wǒ zhèng hǎo zài mén kǒu yù dào le tā.
    I happened to meet him at the door.
  • ，正好。
    Wǒ men xū yào rén bāng máng, nǐ zhèng hǎo yǒu kòng.
    We need help, and you happen to be free.

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.

正zhèngexactly
好hǎoright/good

“正” (“exactly”) and “好” (“right/good”) together mean “just right.”

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng正zhèng
Same sound today

正 pairs 止 with 丁; 止 marks the sense and 丁 gives the sound.

Open 正 →

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 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 4Good & Bad2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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