Two Functions of 好 hǎo and 难 nán

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, the characters 好 hǎo and 難难 nán can be used as prefixes to form compounds that express ideas of good and bad, or ease and difficulty.

Good and Bad

他tā唱歌chànggē真的zhēnde很hěn難聽nántīng他tā唱歌chànggē真的zhēnde很hěn难听nántīng
His singing is really unpleasant to listen to.

他tā做zuò的de飯fàn非常fēicháng好吃hǎochī他tā做zuò的de饭fàn非常fēicháng好吃hǎochī
The food he makes is very delicious.

這zhè咖啡kāfēi好hǎo難喝nánhē，，怎麼zěnme這麼zhème苦kǔ这zhè咖啡kāfēi好hǎo难喝nánhē，，怎么zěnme这么zhèyāo苦kǔ
This coffee tastes awful; why is it so bitter?
(Note that the character 好 hǎo in this sentence is an adverb that means “really.”)

你nǐ推薦tuījiàn的de電影diànyǐng很hěn好看hǎokàn你nǐ推荐tuījiàn的de电影diànyǐng很hěn好看hǎokàn
The movie you recommended is really good.

Ease and Difficulty

中文zhōngwén很hěn好學hǎoxué，英文yīngwén很hěn難學nánxué中文zhōngwén很hěn好学hǎoxué，英文yīngwén很hěn难学nánxué
Chinese is easy to learn, but English is hard to learn.

你nǐ覺得juéde蛋糕dàngāo好做hǎozuò嗎ma？你nǐ觉得juéde蛋糕dàngāo好做hǎozuò吗ma？
Do you think making a cake is easy?

我wǒ的de名字míngzi不bù難寫nánxiě，很hěn簡單jiǎndān我wǒ的de名字míngzi不bù难写nánxiě，很hěn简单jiǎndān
My name is not hard to write; it’s very simple.

你nǐ說shuō的de話huà很hěn難懂nándǒng你nǐ说shuō的de话huà很hěn难懂nándǒng
What you said is hard to understand.

How do you know which meaning it has?

Judging by the context, there’s no other way.

螃蟹pángxiè很hěn難吃nánchī可是kěshì很hěn好吃hǎochī螃蟹pángxiè很hěn难吃nánchī可是kěshì很hěn好吃hǎochī
Crabs are hard to eat, but they’re delicious.