Comparing "gaoxing" and "kaixin"
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:
- 我开心地笑了笑。
- 她很开心地吃完了晚饭。
- 今天我们在公园玩得很开心。
- 你能来，我太开心了。
- 我在上海过得十分开心。
- 认识你很高兴！
- 我很高兴我的中文变好了。
- 听到这个笑话，我有点不高兴了。
- 我有一件高兴的事情告诉你。
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
