Mandarin: difference between 還好 and 還可以? Some people seem to use 還好 and 還可以 interchangeably, but another said 還好 is more negative than 還可以. She said 還好 is more like "so-so" whereas 還可以 is more like "pretty good".

Could someone explain the proper usage of 還好 and 還可以?
'還好' here is short for '還(算)好' - 'still (considered) fine/ good'
'還可以' here is short for '還(算)可以' - 'still (considered) acceptable/ okay'
If someone asked you &quot;How is your college life?&quot; you can reply: &quot;還好&quot; or '還可以' (life in college for me is fine / life in college for me is okay). The two terms are interchangeable in this sense
If someone told you: &quot;The cost of replacing the door is $500&quot; and you replied: &quot;還可以&quot;. That meant you considered this charge is fair and within the limit of your acceptability; If you replied: &quot;還好&quot;.  Then it would mean you're feeling lucky that it is only $500.
&quot;還好&quot; carries a tone of 'feeling lucky' ('still fine' means 'not bad yet'.  &quot;還可以&quot; doesn't carry this tone.)

還好 is more negative than 還可以.

'Negative' only in the case of the alternates. If it is not &quot;還好&quot; (still fine) then it is 'already bad'; If it is not &quot;還可以&quot; (still okay) then it is 'already unacceptable'.

I have to mention '還好' is short for '還(算)好' and '還可以' is short for '還(算)可以' here in your question,  because '還好' in different context could mean &quot;luckily&quot; and '還可以' in different context could mean &quot; can also&quot;
For Example:
1. 還好你沒有去上班，有人把辦公室燒了。 (fortunately you didn't go to work-- Someone set the office in fire.)
2. 不僅是日本，去韓國也還可以。(Not only Japan, you can also go to South Korea.)