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.
- 非常～
- 很～
- 十分～
To say “pleased 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。 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.
Only 高兴 can be used as a verb, to mean “to be happy to.”
Sources and further reading
Websites
"高兴" 和 "开心" 和有什么不一样? | HiNative https://zh.hinative.com/questions/17274531
