Comparing "gaoxing" and "kaixin"
Both 高兴 and 开心 can translated to mean happy, elated, or joyous. Both can be used in formal/informal settings and are often paired with “很”, “非常”, “十分”. A key difference is 高兴 is both an adjective and a verb, whereas 开心 is only an adjective. A final difference is 高兴 is used in fixed patterns when saying “nice to meet you” (as in a first time encounter).
高兴 (gāoxìng) | 开心 (kāixīn) | |
---|---|---|
Meaning | happy, elated, or joyous | happy, elated, or joyous |
Part of Speech | adjective and verb | adjective |
Formality | flexible | flexible |
To say “nice to meet you” (as in a first time encounter) use 高兴
Fixed Patterns
- 认识你很高兴
- 很高兴认识你