zhège zhǐxiāng hái hěn wánhǎo.

This cardboard box is still in good condition.

Breakdown of zhège zhǐxiāng hái hěn wánhǎo.

• 很hěn: very
• 还hái: still
• 这个zhège: this
• 完好wánhǎo: in good condition

Questions & Answers about zhège zhǐxiāng hái hěn wánhǎo.

Why is there no 是 in this sentence? Shouldn’t it be 这个纸箱是很完好?

In Mandarin, adjectives can often act as the predicate by themselves, so you usually do not use 是 before them.

So:

• 这个纸箱还很完好 = This box is still quite intact / still in good condition

But:

• 这个纸箱是很完好 sounds unnatural in normal speech

A good basic rule is:

• before nouns, 是 is common
  
  • 他是老师
• before adjectives, 是 is usually not used
  
  • 他很高
  • 纸箱很完好

So here, 完好 is doing the job that intact / in good condition does in English.

What does 还 mean here?

Here 还 means still.

So 这个纸箱还很完好 means the box is still in good condition or is still intact.

This often suggests that the speaker may have expected damage, but the box remains fine anyway.

For example:

• 纸箱还很完好 = The box is still in good shape
• 他还在家 = He is still at home

In other contexts, 还 can also mean also, so learners often get confused. In this sentence, though, still is the correct meaning.

Why is 还 pronounced hái here, not huán?