好不容易才…
only after great difficulty; at long last
Structure
主语 好不容易／好容易 才 动词 ＋ 结果
What it means
Only after great difficulty, at long last: the result came, but only after a long struggle, so it is about something already achieved.
How it is built
Subject + 好不容易／好容易 + 才 (or 终于) + verb + result: 我们排了两个小时的队，好不容易才挂上号 (we queued for two hours and only just got an appointment).
When to use it
Before a verb, 好不容易 and 好容易 mean the same: ‘it was really hard’. After 得 they split: 来得好不容易 is hard-won, 来得好容易 came very easily. Often a twist follows: …，又／却….
Watch out
Do not drop 好: ✗ 不容易才找到 ✓ 好不容易才找到. Not for the future: ✗ 明天我好不容易才去.
Examples
在劳动监察部门的督促下，大家好不容易才拿回了被拖欠的工钱。
With the labour inspectorate pressing the contractor, they at long last got back the wages they were owed.
我们排了两个小时的队，好不容易才挂上号。
We queued for two hours and only just managed to get an appointment.
孩子好容易才睡着，门铃又响了。
The baby had only just gone off to sleep, after a long struggle, when the doorbell rang again.
Learn this in Lesson 182 · HSK 7–9: 讨个说法 (Getting what you are owed)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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