Not bad
Informal Neutral
What it really means
A very British answer to "How are you?" or "How was it?". It sounds negative but usually means "quite good". British people often understate their feelings like this.
Chinese explanation
回答"你好吗？"或"怎么样？"的常用说法。字面是"不差"，实际通常表示"挺好的"。英国人习惯这样轻描淡写地表达。
Example conversation
A: How was your exam?
B: Not bad, actually. Better than I expected.
A：你考试考得怎么样？
B：还真不错，比我预想的好。
All British Slang
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake