Adjective + 好多

Much More

Level 2Sounds Like hou2 do1

The pattern Adjective + 好多 (hou2 do1) is the standard way to say something is "much more [adjective]" than something else. It is used for large differences.

How It Works

The structure Adj + 好多 functions as a degree complement. Unlike English, where we put "much" before the adjective (e.g., "much better"), Cantonese places the modifier after the adjective.

Key features of this pattern:

  • Position: It must follow the adjective directly. Placing it before (e.g., *好多靚) is a common mistake for beginners. Note that 好 (hou2) + Adj means "very," but Adj + 好多 means "much more."
  • Implicit Comparison: You don't always need to say "than X." If you say 呢件貴好多 (ni1 gin6 gwai3 hou2 do1), it naturally implies "This one is much more expensive [than the other one]."
  • Explicit Comparison: If you want to mention the object of comparison, use the 過 (gwo3) structure: A + Adj + 過 + B + 好多.
  • Register: This is the most natural colloquial way to express a large difference. In formal writing, you might see Adj + 得多 (dak1 do1) instead (e.g., 貴得多).

Examples (5)

  1. 呢件衫貴好多。

    This shirt is much more expensive.

    Word by Word: This [classifier] shirt expensive much more.

    Here, 貴 (gwai3) is the adjective, followed by 好多 (hou2 do1) to show a large price difference.

  2. 今日熱好多。

    Today is much hotter.

    Word by Word: Today hot much more.

    The comparison to 'yesterday' is implied by the context.

  3. 佢高過我好多。

    He is much taller than me.

    Word by Word: He tall than me much more.

    This shows the full comparison structure using 過 (gwo3) to link the two people being compared.

  4. 做人會開心好多。

    You will be a lot happier.

    Word by Word: Be person will happy much more.

    This uses the adjective 開心 (hoi1 sam1) to describe a significant change in emotional state.

  5. 呢度靜好多。

    It's much quieter here.

    Word by Word: Here quiet much more.

    靜 (zing6) means quiet; adding 好多 (hou2 do1) emphasizes the contrast with another location.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing '好多' before the adjective.

    呢個好多靚。
    呢個靚好多。

    In Cantonese, comparative modifiers like '好多' must come after the adjective. Placing it before makes it sound like you are trying to use it as a quantifier for a noun.

  • Stacking '好多' with '啲'.

    呢個平啲好多。
    呢個平好多。

    You must choose between 啲 (di1) for 'a bit' and 好多 (hou2 do1) for 'a lot.' They cannot be used together.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Adjective + 好多Level 2Much More

Learn This First

To understand 'Adj + 好多', you first need to know how basic comparatives are formed in Cantonese using '啲'. This pattern specifically replaces '啲' when the speaker wants to emphasize that the difference between two things is large. Familiarity with '好' as a degree marker and '多' as a quantifier will help you see how they combine to mean 'much more'.

Words in This Pattern