Not bad at all
Informal Polite
What it really means
Stronger than "not bad". Despite the negative words, this usually means "really good" or "I am impressed". British praise often hides inside double negatives like this.
Chinese explanation
比 not bad 程度更高。虽然字面是否定词，实际通常表示"真的很好""令人佩服"。英式夸奖经常藏在这种双重否定里。
Example conversation
A: I made the dumplings myself. Try one.
B: Ooh, not bad at all! You could open a restaurant.
A：饺子是我自己包的，尝一个。
B：哇，真不错！你都可以开餐馆了。
All Politeness Decoder
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake