Comparing "gaoxing" and "kuaile"

高兴 (gāoxìng) and 快乐 (kuàilè) can both be translated as “happy," but are used in slightly different contexts. 高兴 is used in informal and formal situations, while 快乐 is used in mainly formal situations and well-wishing. 高兴 usually describes a happy feeling that is expressed outwardly with action or word (think "cheerful"), whereas 快乐 describes a feeling that one feels deep down on the inside (think "joyful").

B1HSK2ASV4567

	高兴 (gāoxìng)	快乐 (kuàilè)
Meaning	happy, cheerful	happy, joyful
Part of Speech	adjective	adjective, noun
Formality	flexible	formal

:Yes

Use 高兴 for typical "happy" feelings

Think of a happy person with a big smile, a person enjoying a meal with friends, the feeling of enjoying a good weekend. All of these use 高兴.

Example Sentences

• 我 一 到 放假 就 很 高兴。Wǒ yī dào fàngjià jiù hěn gāoxìng.I'm happy when I'm on holiday.
• 你 最近 有没有 遇到 不 高兴 的 事情？Nǐ zuìjìn yǒuméiyǒu yùdào bù gāoxìng de shìqing?Have you experienced any unhappiness lately?
• 今天 的 晚会 大家 玩 得 很 高兴。Jīntiān de wǎnhuì dàjiā wán de hěn gāoxìng.Everyone had a good time at the party today.
• 这次 奥运会 他 得 了 银牌，所以 他 非常 高兴。Zhècì Àoyùnhuì tā de le yínpái, suǒyǐ tā fēicháng gāoxìng.He won a silver medal at the Olympics this time, so he was happy.
• 如果 你 这样 做，你 的 妈妈 会 不 高兴 的。Rúguǒ nǐ zhèyàng zuò, nǐ de māma huì bù gāoxìng de.If you do that, your mum won't be happy.
• 我 喜欢 赢，输 的时候 我 会 很 不 高兴。Wǒ xǐhuan yíng, shū deshíhou wǒhuì hěn bù gāoxìng.I like to win and I get very upset when I lose.
• 他 最近 升职 了，所以 他 很 高兴。Tā zuìjìn shēngzhí le, suǒyǐ tā hěn gāoxìng.He was recently promoted so he was happy.
• 我 今天 不 太 高兴，因为 我 的 手机 被 偷 了。Wǒ jīntiān bù tài gāoxìng, yīnwèi wǒ de shǒujī bèi tōu le.I'm not so happy today because my phone was stolen.
• 我 很 高兴，因为 今天 的 飞机 按时 起飞 了。Wǒ hěn gāoxìng, yīnwèi jīntiān de fēijī ànshí qǐfēi le.I'm happy because the plane left on time today.

Use 快乐 for a deeper sense of "happiness"

Think of the feeling you have after finishing a hard task, or winning a competition. It's also the one you use when you take a hard look at your life and ask, "am I happy?"

Example Sentences

• 你 觉得 你 现在 过 得 快乐 吗？Nǐ juéde nǐ xiànzài guò de kuàilè ma?Do you think you are happy now?
• 我 觉得 我 的 童年 是 很 快乐 的。Wǒ juéde wǒ de tóngnián shì hěn kuàilè de.I think I had a very happy childhood.
• 我 在 上海 的 生活 过 得 很 快乐。Wǒ zài Shànghǎi de shēnghuó guò de hěn kuàilè.I am happy with my life in Shanghai.
• 帮助 别人 是 一 件 很 快乐 的 事情。Bāngzhù biérén shì yī jiàn hěn kuàilè de shìqing.It's a joy to help others.
• 现在 的 孩子 都 过 得 不 太 快乐，因为 他们 的 学习 压力 越来越 大。Xiànzài de háizi dōu guò de bù tài kuàilè, yīnwèi tāmen de xuéxí yālì yuèláiyuè dà.Nowadays, children are not so happy because they are under more and more pressure to study.

Use 高兴 to say “nice to meet you” in introductions

Example Sentences

• 认识 你 很 高兴。Rènshi nǐ hěn gāoxìng.Nice to meet you.
• 很 高兴 认识 你 。Hěn gāoxìng Rènshi nǐ.Nice to meet you.
• 今天 我 很 高兴 认识 大家。Jīntiān wǒ hěn gāoxìng rènshi dàjiā.I'm happy to meet everyone today.

快乐 is often used in well-wishing

This use is very similar to the use of "Happy Birthday," "Happy New Year," or "Merry Christmas" in English.

• 生日 快乐shēngrì kuàilèHappy Birthday
• 圣诞节 快乐shèngdànjié kuàilèMerry Christmas
• 新年 快乐xīnnián kuàilèHappy New Year
• 春节 快乐chūnjié kuàilèHappy Chinese New Year

Only 高兴 can be used as a verb to mean “to be happy to”

This usage is definitely less common, but you will see it.

Example Sentences

• 我 很 高兴 听 到 这个 好 消息。Wǒ hěn gāoxìng tīng dào zhège hǎo xiāoxī.I am so glad to hear the good news.
• 我 的 爷爷 一定 会 很 高兴 看 到 你们。Wǒ de yéye yīdìng huì hěn gāoxìng kàn dào nǐmen.My grandfather will be so happy to see you all.
• 我们 今天 很 高兴 可以 吃 到 这么 好吃 的 中国 菜。Wǒmen jīntiān hěn gāoxìng kěyǐ chī dào zhème hǎochī de Zhōngguó cài.We are so happy to have such good Chinese food today.

Sources and further reading

Websites

• 高兴、快乐、愉快、喜悦的区别