How to Write 好 (hǎo/hào) — Meaning “good; well; okay”

Q: What is a simple way to remember the character 好?

Picture a smiling woman (女) holding a happy child (子) — both are 'good' together. This mental image connects the two parts to the meaning 'good'.

Q: What writing tips should I know for 好?

Write the left radical 女 first with three strokes (slant, slant, horizontal), then the right part 子 in three strokes (hook, horizontal, horizontal). Keep the left side slightly narrower than the right, and make sure the horizontal strokes of 子 are level.

Q: How is 好 different from the similar characters 奴 and 奶?

好 means 'good', while 奴 means 'slave' and uses 又 (hand) on the right instead of 子. 奶 means 'milk' or 'breast' and has 乃 (nai) on the right, plus a different left component (also 女). Visually, 好 has 子 on the right, which is the key difference.

Q: When and how is 好 commonly used in modern Chinese?

好 appears in everyday greetings like 你好 (nǐ hǎo, hello) and 你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma, how are you). It also describes things as 'good' (好人, good person) or 'nice to look at' (好看, good-looking), and is used in the word 爱好 (ài hào, hobby).

Q: What common words use 好?

Common words containing 好 include: 好人 (hǎo rén) — good person; 好看 (hǎo kàn) — Good-looking / Nice / Beautiful; 爱好 (ài hào) — Hobby / Interest.

hǎo/hào HSK Level 1 6 strokes Radical: 女

好 (hǎo/hào) means "good; well; okay" in Chinese. It has 6 strokes with the radical 女, and is HSK Level 1.

Rated 2.7/5 in difficulty (moderate).

Harder than 43% of HSK Level 1 characters.

Appears in 4+ common words including 好人 (hǎo rén), 好看 (hǎo kàn), 爱好 (ài hào).

Hanzi Writer's stroke validation shows learners typically need 5-8 attempts to write 好 with correct proportion and order.

Practice Writing 好 (hǎo/hào)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 好 with real-time feedback.

App Store ▶ Google Play

How to Write 好

The character 好 (hǎo/hào) is written with 6 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 女 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does hǎo/hào (好) Mean in Chinese?

好 means good; well; okay.

This is a polyphonic character with readings: hǎo, hào.

As an HSK Level 1 character, 好 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Character Data

Character	好
Pinyin	hǎo / hào (hao)
Meaning	good; well; okay
Strokes	6
Radical	女
HSK Level	1
Difficulty	2.7/5

Origin of 好

好 combines the radical 女 (woman) and 子 (child). In ancient Chinese thought, a woman with a child represented harmony, happiness, and well-being—thus the meaning 'good.'

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a smiling woman (女) gently holding a child (子) in her arms, feeling that all is 'good' in the world.

Common Words with 好

好人 hǎo rén

good person

好看 hǎo kàn

Good-looking / Nice / Beautiful

爱好 ài hào

Hobby / Interest

好奇 hào qí

curious

Example Sentences

社区里有很多热心肠的好人。

shè qū lǐ yǒu hěn duō rè xīn cháng de hǎo rén

There are many warm-hearted people in the community.

这部电影的视觉效果非常好看。

zhè bù diàn yǐng de shì jué xiào guǒ fēi cháng hǎo kàn

The visual effects of this movie are very good.

他的业余爱好是集邮和远足。

tā de yè yú ài hào shì jí yóu hé yuǎn zú

His hobbies are stamp collecting and hiking.

小孩子对周围的世界充满了好奇。

xiǎo hái zi duì zhōu wéi de shì jiè chōng mǎn le hào qí

Children are full of curiosity about the world around them.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
好 (current)	hǎo / hào	6	女
奴	nú	5	女
奶	nǎi	5	女
奸	jiān	6	女

Practice Writing 好 (hǎo/hào)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 好 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

App Store ▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions about 好

How is the character 好 structured and what do its parts mean?

好 is made of two parts: 女 (woman) on the left and 子 (child) on the right. Together, they suggest the idea of a woman with a child, which ancient Chinese people considered a symbol of goodness and happiness.

What is a simple way to remember the character 好?

What writing tips should I know for 好?

How is 好 different from the similar characters 奴 and 奶?

When and how is 好 commonly used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 好?

How to Write 好 (hǎo/hào) — Meaning “good; well; okay”

Practice Writing 好 (hǎo/hào)

How to Write 好

What Does hǎo/hào (好) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 好

Common Words with 好

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 好 (hǎo/hào)

Frequently Asked Questions about 好

More HSK Level 1 Characters

Characters with Radical 女

Other 6-Stroke Characters