Chinese word

时好时坏

Pronunciation

Pinyinshí hǎo shí huài

Meaning

  • adjectiveup and down

Example

我的网时好时坏，常常断线。wǒ de wǎng shí hǎo shí huài cháng cháng duàn xiàn

My internet connection goes up and down, and it often cuts out.

Illustration for 时好时坏 (up and down)

More examples

面试时他的表现时好时坏，让人难以预测他能否通过。miàn shì shí tā de biǎo xiàn shí hǎo shí huài ràng rén nán yǐ yù cè tā néng fǒu tōng guò

During the interview, his performance went up and down, making it hard to predict whether he would pass.

Core concept

A condition that swings from a good phase to a bad phase and back again.

Common phrases

  • 时好时坏的情绪shí hǎo shí huài de qíng xù

    changeable moods

  • 时好时坏的表现shí hǎo shí huài de biǎo xiàn

    inconsistent performance

  • 时好时坏的运气shí hǎo shí huài de yùn qì

    changeable luck

Similar words

不稳定bù wěn dìng: Changing from one condition to another without staying steady.
起伏不定qǐ fú bú dìng: Rising and falling greatly rather than remaining at a steady level.
多变duō biàn: Frequently changing in character, quality, or situation.

Definition in Chinese

状态不稳定，时而好，时而坏，用来表示好与坏交替出现的情况。zhuàng tài bù wěn dìng shí ér hǎo shí ér huài yòng lái biǎo shì hǎo yǔ huài jiāo tì chū xiàn de qíng kuàng

Word origin

时好时坏 (shíhǎoshíhuài, "good at times and bad at times") is formed from 时 (shí, "at times") + 好 (hǎo, "good") + 坏 (huài, "bad"), with the first element repeated to mark alternation.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, it can stand after a subject as a predicate, so a short report about a connection, health, or mood being changeable sounds natural.

Other meanings

  • inconsistentadjective
  • unsteadyadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word