How do you say "Okay" in Chinese?

"Okay" in Chinese is 好的。 — written in pinyin as Hǎo de. It is an everyday phrase you would use in China.

What does 好的。 mean in Chinese?

好的。 (Hǎo de) means "Okay". Broken down word by word: 好 (hǎo) means "good"; 的 (de) means "particle".

When would you use "Okay" in Chinese?

When you accept an offer or agree to a plan: a driver checks the address, a waiter suggests a dish, a friend tells you where to meet. Also a soft 'all right, go ahead' when someone is explaining something to you.

How to say “Okay” in Chinese

“Okay” in Chinese is 好的。, written in pinyin as Hǎo de.

好的。

Hǎo de.

Okay.

Word by word

What each part of 好的。 actually means.

好hǎogood
的departicle

When you use it

When you accept an offer or agree to a plan: a driver checks the address, a waiter suggests a dish, a friend tells you where to meet.
Also a soft 'all right, go ahead' when someone is explaining something to you.

Use 好的。 in everyday situations. Greetings, thanks and the small words you use all day.

Other ways people say it

The same idea, said differently. Roughly in the order you'll hear them.

好。
Hǎo
Okay.
Shorter and more decisive. Common in quick exchanges, but can sound clipped with someone you have just met.
行。
Xíng
That works.
Very common in northern China. 行 is about whether something is workable, so it answers 'is this OK?' rather than 'do you want it?'
可以。
Kěyǐ
That works. / Sure.
The safest 'yes' to a proposal — it carries permission rather than enthusiasm.
没问题。
Méi wèntí
No problem.
For when someone is asking you to do something.

What usually trips people up

好的 and 好吧 are not the same. 好吧 means 'all right then' and carries reluctance — saying it when you mean 好的 sounds as though you were talked into something.
好的 agrees with a proposal. It is not a general 'yes': for a 是 question you need 是 or 对.
It is easy to overuse. After a while 好 on its own sounds more natural, and between friends a nod is enough.

What you might hear back

那我们走吧。Nà wǒmen zǒu baThen let's go.
好，我这就去。Hǎo, wǒ zhè jiù qùOK — I'm on it.
那我等你。Nà wǒ děng nǐThen I'll wait for you.

Common questions

How do you say "Okay" in Chinese?: "Okay" in Chinese is 好的。 — written in pinyin as Hǎo de. It is an everyday phrase you would use in China.
What does 好的。 mean in Chinese?: 好的。 (Hǎo de) means "Okay". Broken down word by word: 好 (hǎo) means "good"; 的 (de) means "particle".
When would you use "Okay" in Chinese?: When you accept an offer or agree to a plan: a driver checks the address, a waiter suggests a dish, a friend tells you where to meet. Also a soft 'all right, go ahead' when someone is explaining something to you.

More Everyday phrases

Learn all 34 Everyday phrases

Start learning