好吧

hǎo ba
Everyday expressionCommon
All right / Okay then

What does 好吧 mean?

好吧 — 好吧 often accepts a situation after some hesitation or a change of plan. Its tone can be cooperative, resigned, or disappointed.

✓All right, then.
✓Okay, if that’s the plan.
✓Fine, I’ll accept it.

It is not automatically an enthusiastic yes. In a text conversation, punctuation and the preceding disagreement can make 好吧 sound reluctant.

Character breakdown

Open each character to see its own meanings and vocabulary links.

Real-world examples

1 · Accepting a suggestion

A: 我们先回去吧。
wǒmen xiān huíqu ba.
A: Let’s head back first.
B: 好吧,听你的。
hǎo ba, tīng nǐ de.
B: All right, let’s do it your way.

2 · A changed plan

A: 我今天不去了。
wǒ jīntiān bú qù le.
A: I’m not going today.
B: 好吧,那我自己去。
hǎo ba, nà wǒ zìjǐ qù.
B: Okay then, I’ll go on my own.

How to pronounce 好吧

好吧
hǎo ba
Tap to hear Mandarin.

Usage notes

✓Often follows a proposal or information you did not expect.
✓A pause before 好吧 may signal reluctance.
✓For a cheerful agreement, 好啊 may fit better.
Base entry: Real Chinese launch seed.
Context lesson: Original Chinese Meaning context lesson; examples written for this site.