Just Right – 刚好 gānghǎo and 恰好 qiàhǎo

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, both 剛刚好 gānghǎo and 恰好 qiàhǎo can mean “just right” or “happened to”, but they aren’t always interchangeable. The key difference lies in their tone, formality, and usage.

Structure

S + 剛刚好 gānghǎo + Verb Phrase

剛刚好 gānghǎo is more common in everyday conversation. It has a casual and natural tone, similar to saying “just right” or “just happened to” in a chat. It often highlights how something fits perfectly or works out just right.

我wǒ剛好gānghǎo要yào出門chūmén我wǒ刚好gānghǎo要yào出门chūmén
I was just about to go out.

他tā帶dài來lái的de書shū剛好gānghǎo是shì我wǒ需要xūyào的de他tā带dài来lái的de书shū刚好gānghǎo是shì我wǒ需要xūyào的de
The book he brought is exactly what I needed.

我們wǒmen有yǒu三sān張zhāng票piào， 剛好gānghǎo一yì人rén一yì張zhāng我们wǒmen有yǒu三sān张zhāng票piào， 刚好gānghǎo一yì人rén一yì张zhāng
We have three tickets—just enough for one each.

這zhè件jiàn衣服yīfú剛好gānghǎo合身héshēn这zhè件jiàn衣服yīfu刚好gānghǎo合身héshēn
This piece of clothing fits just right.

我wǒ剛好gānghǎo有yǒu時間shíjiān幫bāng你nǐ我wǒ刚好gānghǎo有yǒu时间shíjiān帮bāng你nǐ
I happen to have time to help you.

菜cài的de鹹淡xiándàn剛好gānghǎo菜cài的de咸淡xiándàn刚好gānghǎo
The saltiness of the dish is just right.

S + 恰好 qiàhǎo + Verb Phrase / Adj

恰好 qiàhǎo has a more polished, literary feel. You’re more likely to see it in writing, formal speech, or storytelling, and it often emphasizes coincidence or chance even more strongly.

我wǒ恰好qiàhǎo認識rènshì他tā我wǒ恰好qiàhǎo认识rènshi他tā
I happen to know him.

這zhè件jiàn衣服yīfú的de大小dàxiǎo恰好qiàhǎo合適héshì这zhè件jiàn衣服yīfu的de大小dàxiǎo恰好qiàhǎo合适héshì
The size of this clothing is just right.

恰好qiàhǎo那nà天tiān下雨xiàyǔ， 我們wǒmen沒méi出門chūmén恰好qiàhǎo那nà天tiān下雨xiàyǔ， 我们wǒmen没méi出门chūmén
It happened to rain that day, so we didn’t go out.

他tā的de話huà， 恰好qiàhǎo說shuō出chū了le我wǒ的de心聲xīnshēng他tā的de话huà， 恰好qiàhǎo说shuō出chū了le我wǒ的de心声xīnshēng
His words precisely expressed how I feel.

我們wǒmen恰好qiàhǎo在zài同一tóngyī家jiā餐廳cāntīng吃飯chīfàn我们wǒmen恰好qiàhǎo在zài同一tóngyī家jiā餐厅cāntīng吃饭chīfàn
We coincidentally ate at the same restaurant.

他tā恰好qiàhǎo有yǒu五wǔ分鐘fēnzhōng的de空閒kōngxián他tā恰好qiàhǎo有yǒu五wǔ分钟fēnzhōng的de空闲kōngxián
He happens to have five minutes free.