Chinese word

好家伙

Pronunciation

Pinyinhǎo jiā huo

Meaning

  • interjectionwow

Example

好家伙，这东西真贵！hǎo jiā huo zhè dōng xī zhēn guì

Wow, this thing is really expensive!

Illustration for 好家伙 (wow)

More examples

好家伙，他居然提前来开会。hǎo jiā huo tā jū rán tí qián lái kāi huì

Wow, he actually came to the meeting early.

Core concept

A sudden spoken burst that marks a situation as far beyond expectation, with room for admiration, disbelief, or mild annoyance.

Common phrases

  • 好家伙，真没想到hǎo jiā huo zhēn méi xiǎng dào

    Wow I really didn't expect that

  • 哎，好家伙！āi hǎo jiā huo

    oh wow

Similar words

天啊tiān a: A short cry expressing powerful surprise or astonishment.
哎呀āi yā: A brief cry of surprise and mild confusion when events take an unexpected turn.
哇wa: A short cry of surprise or joyful admiration.

Definition in Chinese

作为口语感叹词使用，表示对事物或情况的强烈惊讶或感叹，有时夹带不满或夸张的语气。zuò wéi kóu yǔ gǎn tàn cí shǐ yòng biǎo shì duì shì wù huò qíng kuàng de qiáng liè jīng yà huò gǎn tàn yǒu shí jiā dài bù mǎn huò kuā zhāng de yǔ qì

Word origin

好 (hǎo, "good") + 家伙 (jiāhuo, "fellow") literally suggests a good fellow, but together they form a vivid colloquial exclamation rather than a description of a person.

Usage tips

  • The safest interpretation depends on delivery: a bright voice signals impressed surprise, while a flat or sharp voice can signal disbelief or complaint.

Other meanings

  • good griefinterjection
  • oh myinterjection

Word lists with this word