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March 24, 2026
欣xīn(xin1)
The character 欣 (xīn) means to be happy or delighted, often conveying a sense of joy or pleasure. It is commonly used in contexts where one expresses happiness about an event or situation, such as receiving good news or celebrating an achievement.
Strokes8Radical欠Frequency#17943DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing happiness is often associated with family gatherings and celebrations, such as the Lunar New Year, where feelings of joy and togetherness are paramount. The character 欣 embodies this sentiment and is frequently used in festive greetings.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person dancing with joy, holding a big 'X' in one hand and a 'heart' in the other. The 'X' represents the sound 'xīn' and symbolizes excitement, while the 'heart' represents happiness. The character 欣 combines elements of joy and celebration, making it easy to remember.
Meanings of 欣
xīn(xin1)
1happy
2delighted, happy, joyous
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 欣
欣Simplified
8Strokes
欠Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#17943Frequency Rank
Podcast: 欣
Podcast: 欣
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AI Study Notes for 欣
Quick Contrast
欣 (xīn) vs 快乐 (kuàilè) — use 欣 when emphasizing delight or joy in response to specific events, while 快乐 generally refers to a state of happiness.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 欣 with similar characters like 喜 (xǐ), which also means to be happy but can imply a more casual or less intense joy. 欣 is often used in more formal contexts or when expressing deeper feelings of happiness. Common collocations include 欣慰 (xīn wèi, feeling relieved and happy) and 欣喜 (xīn xǐ, delighted).
HSK Study Tips
Although 欣 is not currently listed in HSK levels, it connects well with other HSK vocabulary related to emotions and feelings, such as 高兴 (gāo xìng, happy) and 快乐 (kuài lè, joy). Students should focus on using it in sentences to express feelings.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 欣 with 喜, thinking they are interchangeable. For example, saying '我很欣' (Wǒ hěn xīn) instead of '我很欣喜' (Wǒ hěn xīn xǐ) which would be the correct form to express being very delighted.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 欣
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Phonosemantic compound. 欠 represents the meaning and 斤 represents the sound.
1The meaning half欠 carries the sense.
2The sound half斤 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaylack
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 欣? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 欣?
Decomposition of 欣
IDS Structure⿰斤欠
欣Full Character
=
斤jin1
left
欠qian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 欣?
How to say happy in Chinese
“happy” in Chinese is欣xīn
The character 欣 (xīn) means to be happy or delighted, often conveying a sense of joy or pleasure. It is commonly used in contexts where one expresses happiness about an event or situation, such as receiving good news or celebrating an achievement.
When to use 欣
Be careful not to confuse 欣 with similar characters like 喜 (xǐ), which also means to be happy but can imply a more casual or less intense joy. 欣 is often used in more formal contexts or when expressing deeper feelings of happiness. Common collocations include 欣慰 (xīn wèi, feeling relieved and happy) and 欣喜 (xīn xǐ, delighted).
欣 or something close to it
欣 (xīn) vs 快乐 (kuàilè) — use 欣 when emphasizing delight or joy in response to specific events, while 快乐 generally refers to a state of happiness.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 欣 with 喜, thinking they are interchangeable. For example, saying '我很欣' (Wǒ hěn xīn) instead of '我很欣喜' (Wǒ hěn xīn xǐ) which would be the correct form to express being very delighted.
Write 欣
欣
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Grammar Patterns of 欣
欣 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
