不错
bùcuò
Nice · trad. 不錯
不错 (bùcuò) is a common and versatile way to say "nice" or "pretty good" in Mandarin Chinese. It's used to describe things, experiences, or situations in a positive, often understated way, implying satisfaction or approval.
What does 不错 (bùcuò) mean?
不错 (bùcuò) means “nice” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “not wrong / not bad.”
When to use it
Neutral and widely applicable. It's often used casually among friends but is also perfectly fine in more formal settings when describing something positively. For a stronger "very nice," you can say 很好 (hěn hǎo). When describing a person as "nice" (kind), you might use 善良 (shànliáng) or 友好 (yǒuhǎo).
How to pronounce it
Sounds roughly like “boo-TSWOH.” Because 不 (bù) is followed by another falling tone (错, cuò), the tone of 不 changes from a falling tone to a rising tone, so it's actually said “bú cuò.”
Other ways to say it
- 很好hěnhǎovery good / very nice (more direct)
- 很棒hěnbànggreat / awesome (stronger positive)
- 好心hǎoxīnkind / nice (for a person's character)
Examples
这个地方很不错。
zhège dìfang hěn bùcuò.
This place is very nice.
你做的饭真不错！
nǐ zuò de fàn zhēn bùcuò!
The food you made is really nice!
今天天气不错。
jīntiān tiānqì bùcuò.
The weather is nice today.
Pro tip: Tone change: when 不 (bù) is followed by a fourth tone, its tone changes to a second tone. So, say “bú cuò,” not “bù cuò.” Also, while it literally means “not bad,” it almost always carries a positive connotation, meaning “pretty good” or “nice.”
Related phrases
红包 · Red envelope好的，我爱你 · Right i love you自爱 · Self love
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