Difference between revisions of "Comparing "gaoxing" and "kaixin""
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| − | * 今天我很<em>开心</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒ hěn <em> kāixīn </em>.</span> | + | * 今天我很<em>开心</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒ hěn <em> kāixīn </em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm happy today.</span> |
| − | * 你为什么不<em>开心</em>？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ wèishénme bù <em> kāixīn </em>?</span> | + | * 你为什么不<em>开心</em>？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ wèishénme bù <em> kāixīn </em>?</span><span class="trans">Why are you not happy?</span> |
* 她 很 <em>开心</em>地 吃 完 了 晚饭。 <span class="pinyin">Tā hěn <em>kāixīn</em> de chī wán le wǎnfàn.</span><span class="trans">She was happy to finish her dinner.</span> | * 她 很 <em>开心</em>地 吃 完 了 晚饭。 <span class="pinyin">Tā hěn <em>kāixīn</em> de chī wán le wǎnfàn.</span><span class="trans">She was happy to finish her dinner.</span> | ||
* 今天 我们 在 公园 玩得 很 <em>开心</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒmen zài gōngyuán wán de hěn <em>kāixīn</em>.</span><span class="trans">We had a lot of fun at the park today.</span> | * 今天 我们 在 公园 玩得 很 <em>开心</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒmen zài gōngyuán wán de hěn <em>kāixīn</em>.</span><span class="trans">We had a lot of fun at the park today.</span> | ||
* 你 能 来，我 太 <em>开心</em> 了。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng lái, wǒ tài <em>kāixīn</em> le.</span><span class="trans">I am so happy that you came.</span> | * 你 能 来，我 太 <em>开心</em> 了。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng lái, wǒ tài <em>kāixīn</em> le.</span><span class="trans">I am so happy that you came.</span> | ||
| − | * 今天老师很<em>高兴</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān lǎoshī hěn <em> gāoxìng </em>.</span> | + | * 今天老师很<em>高兴</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān lǎoshī hěn <em> gāoxìng </em>.</span><span class="trans">Today the teacher is happy.</span> |
* 我 很 <em>高兴</em> 我的 中文 变 好 了。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ hěn <em>gāoxìng</em> wǒ de Zhōngwén biàn hǎo le.</span><span class="trans">I'm glad my Chinese has gotten better.</span> | * 我 很 <em>高兴</em> 我的 中文 变 好 了。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ hěn <em>gāoxìng</em> wǒ de Zhōngwén biàn hǎo le.</span><span class="trans">I'm glad my Chinese has gotten better.</span> | ||
* 听到 这个 笑话，我 有点 不 <em>高兴</em> 了。 <span class="pinyin">Tīngdào zhège xiàohuà, wǒ yǒudiǎn bù <em>gāoxìng</em> le.</span><span class="trans">I'm a little upset to hear that joke.</span> | * 听到 这个 笑话，我 有点 不 <em>高兴</em> 了。 <span class="pinyin">Tīngdào zhège xiàohuà, wǒ yǒudiǎn bù <em>gāoxìng</em> le.</span><span class="trans">I'm a little upset to hear that joke.</span> | ||
Revision as of 09:26, 7 March 2022
Both 高兴 (gāoxìng) and 开心 (kāixīn) can translated to mean "happy." Both can be used in formal and informal settings and are often paired with intensifiers like 很 (hěn), 太 (tài), 非常 (fēicháng). A key difference is 高兴 is both an adjective and a verb (meaning "to be happy"), whereas 开心 is only an adjective. A final difference is 高兴 is used in fixed patterns like when you meet someone for the first to and say “pleased to meet you.”
| 高兴 (gāoxìng) | 开心 (kāixīn) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | happy | happy |
| Part of Speech | adjective | adjective |
| Formality | flexible | flexible |
Contents
In common patterns "happy" 高兴 and 开心 are interchangeable
The following examples work with both 高兴 and 开心.
Common Phrases
- 很～ very ~
- 太～了 so ~
- 非常～ very ~
Example Sentences
For each the following sentences, 高兴 and 开心 are correct:
- 今天我很开心。 I'm happy today.
- 你为什么不开心？ Why are you not happy?
- 她 很 开心地 吃 完 了 晚饭。 She was happy to finish her dinner.
- 今天 我们 在 公园 玩得 很 开心。 We had a lot of fun at the park today.
- 你 能 来，我 太 开心 了。 I am so happy that you came.
- 今天老师很高兴。 Today the teacher is happy.
- 我 很 高兴 我的 中文 变 好 了。 I'm glad my Chinese has gotten better.
- 听到 这个 笑话，我 有点 不 高兴 了。 I'm a little upset to hear that joke.
- 我 有 一 件 高兴的 事情 告诉 你。 I have something happy to tell you.
- 我 很 高兴 我们 又 见面 了。 I'm glad we met again.
To say “pleased to meet you” use 高兴
This sentence is not a traditional Chinese saying; it's more of a translation from English (or perhaps other European languages). In this case it's not that 开心 (kāixīn) is necessarily wrong; it's just that there's already a set phrase that everyone knows, using 高兴 (gāoxìng).
- 认识 你 很 高兴。 Pleased to meet you.
- 很 高兴 认识 你。 Pleased to meet you.
We're using "pleased to meet you" instead of "nice to meet you" because "pleased" is closer to "happy," but you can translate that as "nice" in your head if you like.
Sources and further reading
Websites
- "高兴" 和 "开心" 和有什么不一样? | HiNative
