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好家伙 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
好家伙hǎojiāhuomy God!HSK 7, unknown, 22 strokes, rank #8027, Very Hard
好家伙hǎojiāhuooh boy!HSK 7, unknown, 22 strokes, rank #8027, Very Hard
好家伙hǎojiāhuoman!HSK 7, unknown, 22 strokes, rank #8027, Very Hard
hǎojiāhuo(hao3jia1huo5)hao jia huo T3
  1. 1my God!
  2. 2oh boy!
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March 24, 2026

好家伙hǎojiāhuo(hao3jia1huo5)

好家伙 (hǎo jiā huǒ) is an expression used to convey surprise, admiration, or disbelief, similar to saying 'my God!' or 'oh boy!' in English. It is commonly used in informal contexts when reacting to unexpected situations or when something impressive or outrageous happens.

Strokes22Frequency#8027DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, exclamatory expressions like 好家伙 reflect the emotional expressiveness in communication, often used to strengthen social bonds through shared reactions to surprising events.

Memory tip

Imagine a surprised person exclaiming '好家伙!' as they see a giant burger (好 means 'good' and 家伙 can imply 'thing' or 'guy'). Picture them saying this while trying to fit this massive burger in their mouth, emphasizing the surprise of the situation and the sound of the exclamation.

Meanings of 好家伙

hǎojiāhuo(hao3jia1huo5)
1my God!
2oh boy!
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About 好家伙

好家伙Simplified
22Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 好家伙

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AI Study Notes for 好家伙

Usage Notes

This expression is informal and should be used in casual conversations rather than formal settings. A common mistake is using it in serious discussions, where a more subdued reaction would be appropriate. Be careful with the tone; the third tone (好) can often be pronounced incorrectly, sounding too flat or misemphasized.

HSK Study Tips

While 好家伙 is not an official HSK term, it incorporates the common character 好 (hǎo, good) from HSK Level 1. Students should focus on the tone changes and practice using it in conversational scenarios to master its expressive nature.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce the tones, saying 'hao jiā huo' instead of 'hǎo jiā huǒ.' Additionally, some learners may use it in overly formal situations, which is inappropriate; it should be reserved for casual conversations.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 好家伙

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Component Characters

好hǎogood
HSK 16 strokes女
View full entry
家jiāhome
HSK 110 strokes宀
View full entry
伙huǒcompanion; group; partner
HSK 56 strokes亻
View full entry

How to say my God! in Chinese

“my God!” in Chinese is好家伙hǎojiāhuo

好家伙 (hǎo jiā huǒ) is an expression used to convey surprise, admiration, or disbelief, similar to saying 'my God!' or 'oh boy!' in English. It is commonly used in informal contexts when reacting to unexpected situations or when something impressive or outrageous happens.

When to use 好家伙

This expression is informal and should be used in casual conversations rather than formal settings. A common mistake is using it in serious discussions, where a more subdued reaction would be appropriate. Be careful with the tone; the third tone (好) can often be pronounced incorrectly, sounding too flat or misemphasized.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce the tones, saying 'hao jiā huo' instead of 'hǎo jiā huǒ.' Additionally, some learners may use it in overly formal situations, which is inappropriate; it should be reserved for casual conversations.

Write 好家伙

好
家
伙

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Frequently Asked Questions about 好家伙

You can use 好家伙 in casual conversations among friends or family, especially when reacting to surprising or impressive situations.

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