Difference between revisions of "Comparing "gaoxing" and "kaixin""
 
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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.”
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Both 高兴 (gāoxìng) and 开心 (kāixīn) can translated as "happy." Both can be used in formal and informal settings, although 高兴 (gāoxìng) as perhaps a tiny bit more formal. Both words are often paired with intensifiers like 很 (hěn), 太 (tài), 非常 (fēicháng). A final difference is that 高兴 (gāoxìng) is used in fixed patterns like when you meet someone for the first time and say “pleased to meet you.”
  
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{{SimilarWordsCol1|高兴|gāoxìng|happy, elated, or joyous|adjective|flexible}}
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{{SimilarWordsCol1|高兴|gāoxìng|happy|adjective|flexible}}
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{{SimilarWordsCol2|开心|kāixīn|happy, elated, or joyous|adjective|flexible}}
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{{SimilarWordsCol2|开心|kāixīn|happy|adjective|flexible}}
 
{{SimilarWordsPageInfo|A2|HSK4|ASV4567}}
 
{{SimilarWordsPageInfo|A2|HSK4|ASV4567}}
 
{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
 
{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
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The following examples work with both 高兴 and 开心.  
 
The following examples work with both 高兴 and 开心.  
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=== Common Phrases ===
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
  
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* 非常～
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* 很 <em>开心</em> <span class="pinyin">Hěn <em> kāixīn </em> </span><span class="trans">very happy</span>
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* 很～
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* 太 <em>开心</em> 了 <span class="pinyin">Tài <em> kāixīn </em> le</span><span class="trans">so happy</span>
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* 十分～
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* 非常 <em>高兴</em> <span class="pinyin">Fēicháng <em> gāoxìng </em></span><span class="trans">very happy</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== To say “pleased to meet you” (as in a first time encounter) use 高兴 ==
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=== Example Sentences ===
  
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=== Fixed Patterns ===
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For each the following sentences, 高兴 and 开心 are correct:
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<div class="liju">
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* 今天 我 <strong>很</strong> <em>开心</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒ <strong>hěn</strong> <em> kāixīn </em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm happy today.</span>
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* 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>
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* 她 <strong>很</strong> <em>开心</em> 地 吃 完 了 晚饭。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>hěn</strong> <em>kāixīn</em> de chī wán le wǎnfàn.</span><span class="trans">She happily finished her dinner.</span>
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* 今天 我们 在 公园 玩 得 <strong>很</strong> <em>开心</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒmen zài gōngyuán wán de <strong>hěn</strong> <em>kāixīn</em>.</span><span class="trans">We had a lot of fun at the park today.</span>
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* 你 能 来，我 <strong>太</strong> <em>开心</em> <strong>了</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng lái, wǒ <strong>tài</strong> <em>kāixīn</em> <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I am so happy that you could come.</span>
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* 今天 老师 <strong>很</strong> <em>高兴</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān lǎoshī <strong>hěn</strong> <em> gāoxìng </em>.</span><span class="trans">Today the teacher is happy.</span>
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* 我 <strong>很</strong> <em>高兴</em> 我的 中文 变 好 了。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>hěn</strong> <em>gāoxìng</em> wǒ de Zhōngwén biàn hǎo le.</span><span class="trans">I'm glad my Chinese has gotten better.</span>
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* 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 unhappy to hear that joke.</span>
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* 我 有 一 件 <em>高兴</em> 的 事情 告诉 你。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yǒu yī jiàn <em>gāoxìng</em> de shìqing gàosu nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I have something happy to tell you about.</span>
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* 我 <strong>很</strong> <em>高兴</em> 我们 又 见面 了。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>hěn</strong> <em>gāoxìng</em> wǒmen yòu jiànmiàn le.</span><span class="trans">I'm glad we met again.</span>
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</div>
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== To say “pleased to meet you” use 高兴 ==
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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 and expects, using 高兴 (gāoxìng).
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
  
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* 认识 你 很 高兴。 <span class="pinyin">Rènshi nǐ hěn gāoxìng.</span>
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* 认识 你 很 高兴。 <span class="pinyin">Rènshi nǐ hěn gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">Pleased to meet you.</span>
 
* 很 高兴 认识 你。 <span class="pinyin">Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.</span><span class="trans">Pleased to meet you.</span>
 
* 很 高兴 认识 你。 <span class="pinyin">Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.</span><span class="trans">Pleased to meet you.</span>
  
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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.
 
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.
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== Only 高兴 can be used as a verb, to mean “to be happy to.” ==
 
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Websites ===
 
=== Websites ===
  
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"高兴" 和 "开心" 和有什么不一样? | HiNative
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* [https://zh.hinative.com/questions/17274531 "高兴" 和 "开心" 和有什么不一样?] (HiNative)
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https://zh.hinative.com/questions/17274531
 

Latest revision as of 06:45, 7 July 2022

Both 高兴 (gāoxìng) and 开心 (kāixīn) can translated as "happy." Both can be used in formal and informal settings, although 高兴 (gāoxìng) as perhaps a tiny bit more formal. Both words are often paired with intensifiers like 很 (hěn), 太 (tài), 非常 (fēicháng). A final difference is that 高兴 (gāoxìng) is used in fixed patterns like when you meet someone for the first time and say “pleased to meet you.”











A2HSK4ASV4567
高兴 (gāoxìng) 开心 (kāixīn)
Meaning happy happy
Part of Speech adjective adjective
Formality flexible flexible

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 开心 Hěn kāixīn very happy
  • 太 开心 了 Tài kāixīn leso happy
  • 非常 高兴 Fēicháng gāoxìng very happy

Example Sentences

For each the following sentences, 高兴 and 开心 are correct:

  • 今天 我 很 开心。 Jīntiān wǒ hěn kāixīn .I'm happy today.
  • 你 为什么 不 开心？ Nǐ wèishénme bù kāixīn ?Why are you not happy?
  • 她 很 开心 地 吃 完 了 晚饭。 Tā hěn kāixīn de chī wán le wǎnfàn.She happily finished her dinner.
  • 今天 我们 在 公园 玩 得 很 开心。 Jīntiān wǒmen zài gōngyuán wán de hěn kāixīn.We had a lot of fun at the park today.
  • 你 能 来，我 太 开心 了。 Nǐ néng lái, wǒ tài kāixīn le.I am so happy that you could come.
  • 今天 老师 很 高兴。 Jīntiān lǎoshī hěn gāoxìng .Today the teacher is happy.
  • 我 很 高兴 我的 中文 变 好 了。 Wǒ hěn gāoxìng wǒ de Zhōngwén biàn hǎo le.I'm glad my Chinese has gotten better.
  • 听到 这个 笑话，我 有点 不 高兴 了。 Tīngdào zhège xiàohuà, wǒ yǒudiǎn bù gāoxìng le.I'm a little unhappy to hear that joke.
  • 我 有 一 件 高兴 的 事情 告诉 你。 Wǒ yǒu yī jiàn gāoxìng de shìqing gàosu nǐ.I have something happy to tell you about.
  • 我 很 高兴 我们 又 见面 了。 Wǒ hěn gāoxìng wǒmen yòu jiànmiàn le.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 and expects, using 高兴 (gāoxìng).

  • 认识 你 很 高兴。 Rènshi nǐ hěn gāoxìng.Pleased to meet you.
  • 很 高兴 认识 你。 Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.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

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