Chinese Complement – 好 hǎo & 起 qǐ

In Chinese, some complements show results or ability. 好 hǎo is used to express that something is completed or ready, while 起 qǐ is used to express whether someone can or cannot manage, afford, or bear something.

好 hǎo

It shows that something has been completed well, finished properly, or is ready.

東西dōngxī已經yǐjīng買mǎi好hǎo了le东西dōngxi已经yǐjīng买mǎi好hǎo了le
The things have already been bought (ready).

作業zuòyè寫xiě好hǎo了le嗎ma？ 作业zuòyè写xiě好hǎo了le吗ma？
Have you finished the homework?

飯菜fàncài都dōu準備zhǔnbèi好hǎo了le饭菜fàncài都dōu准备zhǔnbèi好hǎo了le
The food is all ready.

你nǐ把bǎ門mén關guān好hǎo你nǐ把bǎ门mén关guān好hǎo
Close the door properly.

他tā把bǎ約會yuēhuì的de餐廳cāntīng訂dìng好hǎo了le他tā把bǎ约会yuēhuì的de餐厅cāntīng订dìng好hǎo了le
He has already booked the restaurant for the date.

我wǒ還沒háiméi準備zhǔnbèi好hǎo今天jīntiān的de考試kǎoshì我wǒ还没háiméi准备zhǔnbèi好hǎo今天jīntiān的de考试kǎoshì
I’m not ready for today’s exam.

起 qǐ

It used after a verb to express being able (or not able) to afford something.

這zhè輛liàng車chē太tài貴guì， 我wǒ買不起mǎibùqǐ这zhè辆liàng车chē太tài贵guì， 我wǒ买不起mǎibuqǐ
This car is too expensive; I can’t afford it.

那麼nàme大dà的de房子fángzi， 我們wǒmen住zhù不bù起qǐ那么nàme大dà的de房子fángzi， 我们wǒmen住zhù不bu起qǐ
We can’t afford to live in such a big house.

這zhè家jiā餐廳cāntīng太tài高級gāojí了le， 我wǒ吃chī不bù起qǐ这zhè家jiā餐厅cāntīng太tài高级gāojí了le， 我wǒ吃chī不bu起qǐ
This restaurant is too fancy; I can’t afford to eat here.

你nǐ讀dú得de起qǐ大學dàxué嗎ma？ 你nǐ读dú得de起qǐ大学dàxué吗ma？
Can you afford to go to college?

他tā用yòng得de起qǐ蘋果pínguǒ電腦diànnǎo嗎ma？ 他tā用yòng得de起qǐ苹果píngguǒ电脑diànnǎo吗ma？
Can he afford to use an Apple computer?

我wǒ去qù不bù起qǐ那麼nàme貴guì的de國家guójiā我wǒ去qù不bu起qǐ那么nàme贵guì的de国家guójiā
I can’t afford to travel to such an expensive country.