好不容易

hǎobùróngyì

adverb #7,573

Meanings

1 with great difficulty; after much trouble
2 to have a hard time (doing something); finally

Characters

very; quite (intensifier)

to allow; to tolerate

Literally 'very not easy' — emphasizes how difficult something was to achieve.

Examples

我好不容易才找到这个地方。

Wǒ hǎobùróngyì cái zhǎodào zhège dìfāng.

I finally found this place after great difficulty.

好不容易等到周末了。

Hǎobùróngyì děngdào zhōumò le.

I finally waited until the weekend.

她好不容易才通过了考试。

Tā hǎobùróngyì cái tōngguò le kǎoshì.

She passed the exam with great difficulty.

Tips

grammar

好不容易 often pairs with 才 (cái) to emphasize 'only after much difficulty.' Interestingly, 好容易 means the same thing — both 好不容易 and 好容易 express 'with great difficulty.'

mistakes

Don't confuse this with a literal 'very not easy.' 好不容易 is a fixed expression meaning 'after much trouble,' not simply 'not easy.' Use 不容易 for 'not easy.'

Stroke Order

好 hǎo

不 bù

容 róng

易 yì