…也好…也罢
HSK 6- Emphasis
Structure (结构 jiégòu)
Meaning (意思 yìsi)
The structure …也好…也罢 is used to enumerate possibilities, emphasizing that the final result remains unchanged regardless of which option is chosen.
Explanation (解释 jiěshì)
The structure A 也好, B 也罢 is used to list two or more possibilities (A, B), emphasizing that no matter which one is chosen, the final outcome remains unchanged. It expresses the speaker's attitude of indifference, acceptance, or determination.
The main clause is often accompanied by adverbs such as 都, 也, or 反正 to assert that the result is unaffected by the options mentioned.
Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)
- 你去也好，不去也罢，反正我都要去。繁: 你去也好，不去也罷，反正我都要去。Nǐ qù yě hǎo, bù qù yě bà, fǎnzhèng wǒ dōu yào qù.
Whether you go or not doesn't matter; I'm going anyway.
- 赞成也好，反对也罢，他都接受。繁: 贊成也好，反對也罷，他都接受。Zànchéng yě hǎo, fǎnduì yě bà, tā dōu jiēshòu.
Whether in favor or opposed, he accepts it all.
- 下雨也好，晴天也罢，比赛照常进行。繁: 下雨也好，晴天也罷，比賽照常進行。Xià yǔ yě hǎo, qíngtiān yě bà, bǐsài zhàocháng jìnxíng.
Whether it rains or the sun shines, the match proceeds as scheduled.
- 有钱也好，没钱也罢，开心最重要。繁: 有錢也好，沒錢也罷，開心最重要。Yǒu qián yě hǎo, méi qián yě bà, kāixīn zuì zhòngyào.
Whether you have money or not doesn't matter; being happy is what matters most.
- 你喜欢也好，不喜欢也罢，都得完成。繁: 你喜歡也好，不喜歡也罷，都得完成。Nǐ xǐhuān yě hǎo, bù xǐhuān yě bà, dōu děi wánchéng.
You have to complete it whether you like it or not.
Common mistakes
- Wrong:成功也好，失败也好，我都努力了。Correct:成功也好，失败也罢，我都努力了。
This is a fixed structure. The second clause must use 也罢 to express contrast and acceptance; do not repeat 也好.
- Wrong:你说或者不说，结果都一样。Correct:你说也好，不说也罢，结果都一样。
或者 only lists alternatives. Use 也好...也罢 to emphasize an attitude of "either way is the same," with stronger emotional undertones.