hǎopíng: 好评 - Good Review, Positive Feedback, Praise

• Keywords: haoping meaning, 好评 in English, Chinese for good review, positive feedback Chinese, Taobao review, five-star review, give a good review Chinese, e-commerce China, Didi review
• Summary: “好评” (hǎopíng) is a fundamental term in modern Chinese life, translating to “good review” or “positive feedback.” While it can refer to general praise, its primary use is within China's massive digital economy, from e-commerce sites like Taobao to ride-sharing and food delivery apps. Understanding “hǎopíng” is essential for navigating online shopping and services in China, as getting a “five-star 好评” has significant real-world consequences for sellers and service providers.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): hǎopíng
• Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A positive evaluation, good review, or favorable comment, especially for a product or service.
• In a Nutshell: Think of “好评” (hǎopíng) as the Chinese equivalent of a “5-star review” or a “thumbs-up” rating, but with much higher stakes. It's the currency of reputation in China's digital world. When you buy something online or take a taxi, you'll be asked to “give a 好评.” It's not just a casual comment; it's a formal confirmation that the product or service was satisfactory, and it directly impacts the seller's or driver's income and ranking.

• 好 (hǎo): Means “good,” “well,” or “fine.” The character is a combination of 女 (nǚ - woman) and 子 (zǐ - child). The image of a mother with her child is a classic representation of something good and desirable.
• 评 (píng): Means “to review,” “to comment,” or “to judge.” It's composed of the “speech” radical 言 (yán) on the left and 平 (píng) on the right, which means “flat” or “fair” and provides the sound. Together, it suggests making a “fair judgment with words.”

The two characters combine literally and logically: 好 (good) + 评 (review) = 好评 (good review).

In Western cultures, leaving a review is often seen as an optional action for exceptional or terrible service. In China, the act of giving a 好评 (hǎopíng) has evolved into a near-mandatory social and economic ritual, especially in the digital sphere. The concept is most comparable to the Uber or Amazon rating system, but its importance is magnified. On platforms like Taobao (China's Amazon/eBay), a seller's “好评率” (hǎopíng lǜ - positive review rate) is a primary metric that determines their visibility, search ranking, and ultimately, their livelihood. A high rate builds trust and attracts customers, while a low rate can be ruinous. This leads to sellers often including small red envelopes (红包, hóngbāo) with a cash-back offer or sending pleading messages asking customers for a “五星好评” (wǔ xīng hǎopíng - five-star good review). This system extends to the service economy. Didi (ride-sharing) drivers and Meituan (food delivery) couriers are heavily monitored by their `hǎopíng` rate. A few bad reviews (差评, chàpíng) can lead to reduced orders or even suspension. For the consumer, giving a `hǎopíng` is often seen as the default action for a transaction that went smoothly, while withholding it or giving a bad review is a serious statement of dissatisfaction. It reflects a cultural dynamic where maintaining harmony and ensuring a smooth transaction for both parties is highly valued.

You will encounter 好评 constantly in any transaction-based interaction in China.

• Online Shopping: This is the most common context. After receiving a package, you'll get a notification from the app (Taobao, JD.com, Pinduoduo) to “评价” (píngjià - evaluate) your purchase. The goal is to secure a `hǎopíng`. Sellers will often message you with phrases like:
  • 亲, 收到货满意的话, 麻烦给个五星好评哦! (Qīn, shōudào huò mǎnyì dehuà, máfan gěi ge wǔ xīng hǎopíng o!) - “Dear, if you're satisfied with the goods, please trouble you to give a 5-star good review!”
• Service Apps: After a Didi ride, a food delivery, or even a haircut booked through an app, you'll be prompted to rate the service. A simple 5-star tap is considered a `hǎopíng`.
• General Praise: While less common in casual speech, it can be used to describe acclaimed works. For example, a popular movie or book is said to have received “好评如潮” (hǎopíng rú cháo), meaning “a tide of positive reviews.”

• Example 1:
  • 这个产品在网上的好评很多。
  • Pinyin: Zhège chǎnpǐn zài wǎngshàng de hǎopíng hěn duō.
  • English: This product has a lot of good reviews online.
  • Analysis: A simple, common statement a consumer might make when researching a product.
• Example 2:
  • 亲, 麻烦您给个好评可以吗？
  • Pinyin: Qīn, máfan nín gěi ge hǎopíng kěyǐ ma?
  • English: Dear, could I trouble you to give a good review?
  • Analysis: A classic phrase used by online sellers or service providers. “亲” (qīn - dear) is standard e-commerce language.
• Example 3:
  • 我买之前看了一下, 好评率是百分之九十九。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ mǎi zhīqián kànle yīxià, hǎopíng lǜ shì bǎifēnzhī jiǔshíjiǔ.
  • English: Before I bought it, I checked, and the positive review rate was 99%.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the use of “好评率” (hǎopíng lǜ - positive review rate), a key metric.
• Example 4:
  • 这部电影上映后获得了观众的一致好评。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng shàngyìng hòu huòdéle guānzhòng de yīzhì hǎopíng.
  • English: After this movie was released, it received unanimous praise from the audience.
  • Analysis: Shows `好评` used in a more formal context for critical acclaim. “一致” (yīzhì) means unanimous or consistent.
• Example 5:
  • 如果你对我的服务满意, 请给我一个五星好评。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ duì wǒ de fúwù mǎnyì, qǐng gěi wǒ yī ge wǔ xīng hǎopíng.
  • English: If you are satisfied with my service, please give me a five-star good review.
  • Analysis: A direct request from a service worker, like a Didi driver. “五星” (wǔ xīng - five star) is almost always paired with `好评`.
• Example 6:
  • 我昨天忘了好评, 司机师傅还专门发消息提醒我。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuótiān wàngle hǎopíng, sījī shīfu hái zhuānmén fā xiāoxī tíxǐng wǒ.
  • English: I forgot to give a good review yesterday, and the driver even sent a special message to remind me.
  • Analysis: Highlights the cultural pressure and importance of the review for the service provider. Here `好评` is used as a verb: “to give a good review.”
• Example 7:
  • 虽然价格有点贵, 但看在好评那么多的份上, 我还是买了。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán jiàgé yǒudiǎn guì, dàn kàn zài hǎopíng nàme duō de fèn shàng, wǒ háishì mǎile.
  • English: Although the price is a bit expensive, seeing as it has so many good reviews, I bought it anyway.
  • Analysis: Shows how `好评` directly influences purchasing decisions. “看在…的份上” is a common structure meaning “for the sake of…”
• Example 8:
  • 一个差评比十个好评对店铺的影响还大。
  • Pinyin: Yī ge chàpíng bǐ shí ge hǎopíng duì diànpù de yǐngxiǎng hái dà.
  • English: One bad review has a bigger impact on a store than ten good reviews.
  • Analysis: Contrasts `好评` with its opposite, “差评” (chàpíng - bad review), and illustrates the high stakes.
• Example 9:
  • 他的新书收到了如潮的好评。
  • Pinyin: Tā de xīn shū shōudàole rú cháo de hǎopíng.
  • English: His new book received a tide of positive reviews.
  • Analysis: Introduces the idiom “好评如潮” (hǎopíng rú cháo - a tide of good reviews), used to describe overwhelming praise.
• Example 10:
  • 收到货后请及时确认收货并给予好评哦, 谢谢！
  • Pinyin: Shōudào huò hòu qǐng jíshí quèrèn shōuhuò bìng jǐyǔ hǎopíng o, xièxie!
  • English: After receiving the goods, please confirm receipt in a timely manner and grant a good review, thanks!
  • Analysis: A very typical, slightly formal sentence found on e-commerce order pages. “给予” (jǐyǔ) is a more formal way to say “to give.”

• Mistake: Not just any compliment. A common mistake for learners is to use `好评` for any general compliment. You wouldn't say “你的新发型我给你一个好评” (Your new haircut, I give you a good review). That sounds robotic and transactional. For personal compliments, use words like 好看 (hǎokàn) - “good-looking” or 很棒 (hěn bàng) - “great/awesome.” `好评` is reserved for evaluating a product, service, or performance within a system (even an informal one, like a film review).
• Nuance: Transactional vs. General Praise. The core meaning of `好评` is transactional. It implies a 'user' or 'customer' evaluating a 'provider' or 'product.' While it can be used more broadly for things like movies or books, its heartland is the world of commerce and services. English “praise” or “acclaim” is much broader and less tied to a specific rating system.
• False Friend: Not just a “comment.” `好评` is specifically a positive review. The general, neutral word for a comment or review is 评论 (pínglùn), and the word for an evaluation (which could be good, bad, or neutral) is 评价 (píngjià). If you just want to “leave a comment,” you use `评论`. If you want to “leave a good review,” you give a `好评`.

• 差评 (chàpíng) - The direct antonym: a bad review or negative feedback. The fear of every online seller.
• 中评 (zhōngpíng) - A neutral review. On many platforms, this is considered almost as bad as a `差评` because it lowers the overall positive review rate.
• 评价 (píngjià) - (v./n.) To evaluate; an evaluation. This is the general term for the action of reviewing. `好评`, `中评`, and `差评` are the three possible outcomes of a `评价`.
• 五星好评 (wǔ xīng hǎopíng) - A five-star good review. The gold standard and a phrase you will see and hear constantly.
• 点赞 (diǎnzàn) - To “like” something on social media (literally “point praise”). A similar, but more casual, form of digital approval.
• 口碑 (kǒubēi) - Word-of-mouth reputation. A business with good `口碑` is one that consistently receives `好评` from its customers.
• 推荐 (tuījiàn) - To recommend. Giving a `好评` often implies you would `推荐` the product or service to others.
• 反馈 (fǎnkuì) - Feedback. This is a more neutral, business-like term, often a direct loanword. `好评` is a specific type of positive `反馈`.