Difference between revisions of "Comparing "gaoxing" and "kaixin""

Line 28: Line 28:
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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 happily finished her dinner.</span>
+
* 她 <strong></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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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 could come.</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 could come.</span>
Line 35: Line 35:
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
* 我 很 <em>高兴</em> 我们 又 见面 了。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ hěn <em>gāoxìng</em> wǒmen yòu jiànmiàn le.</span><span class="trans">I'm glad we met again.</span>
+
* 我 <strong></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>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>

Revision as of 07:23, 19 April 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

  • 开心 Hěn kāixīn very happy
  • 开心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 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?
  • 开心 地 吃 完 了 晚饭。 hěn kāixīn de chī wán le wǎnfàn.She happily finished her dinner.
  • 今天 我们 在 公园 玩 得 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 高兴Jīntiān lǎoshī hěn gāoxìng .Today the teacher is happy.
  • 高兴 我的 中文 变 好 了。 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.
  • 高兴 我们 又 见面 了。 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