好好先生
好好先生 (hǎo hǎo xiān sheng) literally means “good good mister”and expresses “person who agrees with everyone to avoid conflict”.This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships & character.
Also searched as: hao hao xian sheng, hao hao xian sheng,好好先生 meaning, 好好先生 in english
Pronunciation: hǎo hǎo xiān sheng Literal meaning: Good good mister
Origin & Usage
Qing Dynasty political commentators first used this phrase to criticize excessively agreeable (好好) officials (先生) who prioritized harmony over necessary confrontation. The doubled character '好' (good) carried an ironic edge, suggesting performance rather than genuine virtue. Modern usage describes those who avoid all conflict through universal agreeability, even when principled disagreement would better serve the common good.
When to Use
Situation: The manager avoided necessary criticism and never challenged poor performance
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 好好先生 mean in English?
好好先生 (hǎo hǎo xiān sheng) literally translates to “Good good mister”and is used to express “Person who agrees with everyone to avoid conflict”. This Chinese idiom belongs to theRelationships & Character category..
When is 好好先生 used?
Situation: The manager avoided necessary criticism and never challenged poor performance
What is the pinyin for 好好先生?
The pinyin pronunciation for 好好先生 is “hǎo hǎo xiān sheng”.