hǎotīng: 好听 - Pleasant to Hear, Good-sounding

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Summary: Learn the essential Chinese adjective 好听 (hǎotīng), which literally means “good to listen to.” This common HSK 2 word is used to describe anything pleasant to the ear, from beautiful music and melodious voices to nice-sounding names and engaging stories. This page breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical use with over 10 example sentences to help you master how to compliment sounds in authentic, everyday Chinese.

Pinyin (with tone marks): hǎotīng

Part of Speech: Adjective

HSK Level: HSK 2

Concise Definition: Describes a sound, voice, or music that is pleasant, melodious, or agreeable to the ear.

In a Nutshell: 好听 (hǎotīng) is the go-to word in Chinese for saying something sounds good. It's a simple and intuitive compound of 好 (hǎo), meaning “good,” and 听 (tīng), meaning “to listen.” Think of it as the auditory version of 好看 (hǎokàn), which means “good-looking.” If a song is catchy, a person's voice is sweet, or a name has a nice ring to it, you can describe it as 好听.

好 (hǎo): This character means “good,” “fine,” or “well.” It's a pictogram of a woman (女) next to a child (子), a combination that culturally represented something good, complete, and desirable.

听 (tīng): This character means “to listen” or “to hear.” The left side features the “ear” radical (耳), clearly indicating its connection to sound. The right side components historically suggested attentive or virtuous listening.

Together, 好听 (hǎotīng) forms a transparent and logical meaning: “good to listen to.”

The “Hǎo + Verb” Aesthetic: 好听 is part of a family of highly practical and common Chinese adjectives formed by combining 好 (hǎo) with a sensory verb. This includes 好看 (hǎokàn - good to look at), 好吃 (hǎochī - good to eat), and 好玩 (hǎowán - fun to play). This structure reflects a direct, pragmatic way of expressing sensory pleasure that is deeply embedded in the language.

Comparison to English: While English has many words for pleasant sounds (melodious, beautiful, lovely, sweet-sounding), 好听 is a much broader, all-purpose term. You can use it for a pop song, an opera aria, a bird's call, or a person's name. An English speaker might say a name has a “nice ring to it,” while a Chinese speaker would simply say the name is 好听. This highlights its versatility and everyday nature.

Auspicious Sounds: In Chinese culture, sound itself can be auspicious. A name that is 好听 is highly valued, not just for its aesthetic quality but because pleasant sounds are associated with good fortune. Conversely, names that are homophones for negative words are avoided. The appreciation for things that are 好听 extends beyond music to the phonology of language itself.

Describing Unpleasant Words (in the negative): The antonym, 难听 (nántīng), is often used, but you can also say someone's words are “not pleasant to hear” (话不好听), meaning they were harsh, rude, or vulgar.

“Good Sounding” vs. “好听”: In English, “good sounding” can occasionally imply something is superficially appealing but lacks depth (e.g., “a good-sounding plan that will never work”). 好听 rarely has this negative connotation on its own. It is a genuine expression of auditory pleasure.

难听 (nántīng) - The direct antonym, meaning “unpleasant to hear,” “ugly-sounding,” or “harsh.”

好看 (hǎokàn) - The visual equivalent: “good-looking,” “beautiful.”

好吃 (hǎochī) - The taste equivalent for food: “delicious.”

好喝 (hǎohē) - The taste equivalent for drinks: “good to drink.”

动听 (dòngtīng) - A slightly more formal and emotional synonym, meaning “moving” or “touching” to listen to. It implies a deeper emotional connection than 好听.

优美 (yōuměi) - A more literary and formal term meaning “graceful,” “elegant,” or “fine.” Often used to describe classical music, poetry, or dance.

声音 (shēngyīn) - The noun for “sound” or “voice,” which is often described by 好听.

音乐 (yīnyuè) - The noun for “music,” the most common thing to be called 好听.

曲子 (qǔzi) - A noun for “song,” “tune,” or “melody.”