HSK 2
还 A
hái A
somewhat A
Structure
Subject + 还 + Adjective
How it works
The adverb '还' can be used before certain adjectives to indicate that something is 'passable' or 'fairly good.' It suggests that while the situation isn't perfect, it is acceptable or better than expected.
Examples
这件衣服还可以。
Zhè jiàn yīfu hái kěyǐ.
This piece of clothing is okay.
今天的身体还不错。
Jīntiān de shēntǐ hái búcuò.
Today I feel pretty good.
这个西瓜还行。
Zhège xīguā hái xíng.
This watermelon is alright.
Common mistakes
Don't use '还' with negative adjectives like '累' (tired) or '疼' (painful) to mean 'somewhat'; it is primarily used with positive or neutral adjectives to soften them to 'passable'.
Tip
Think of '还' in this context as a way to lower the intensity of a positive adjective. It often appears in the fixed phrases '还可以', '还行', and '还不错'.
More HSK 2 grammar
See 还 A in real Chinese
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