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兴高采烈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
兴高采烈xìnggāocǎilièhappy and excited (idiom)HSK 7, i, 34 strokes, rank #20312, Very Hard
兴高采烈xìnggāocǎilièin high spiritsHSK 7, i, 34 strokes, rank #20312, Very Hard
兴高采烈xìnggāocǎilièin great delightHSK 7, i, 34 strokes, rank #20312, Very Hard
xìnggāocǎiliè(xing4gao1cai3lie4)xing gao cai lie T4
  1. 1happy and excited (idiom)
  2. 2in high spirits
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March 24, 2026

兴高采烈(興高采烈)xìnggāocǎiliè(xing4gao1cai3lie4)

兴高采烈 is an idiom that describes a state of being extremely happy and excited. It is often used to express joy in response to good news or a celebratory event, capturing a sense of enthusiasm and high spirits.

Strokes34Frequency#20312DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing joy and excitement is important during festivals and celebrations such as the Spring Festival (春节), where feelings of happiness are often shared among family and friends.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person (兴) jumping high (高) with a colorful paintbrush (采) in hand, splashing vibrant colors (烈) everywhere, representing their excitement. The sounds of 'xing' and 'liè' can remind you of the joyful exclamations people make when they are thrilled.

Meanings of 兴高采烈

xìnggāocǎiliè(xing4gao1cai3lie4)
1happy and excited (idiom)
2in high spirits
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 兴高采烈

兴高采烈Simplified
興高采烈Traditional
34Strokes
—Radical
成语chéngyǔidiom (id.)Part of Speech
#20312Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 兴高采烈

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AI Study Notes for 兴高采烈

Quick Contrast

欢天喜地 (huāntiānxǐdì) - use 兴高采烈 when emphasizing a personal state of excitement, while 欢天喜地 conveys a more communal or festive joy.

Usage Notes

This idiom is generally used in informal contexts to convey happiness. A common mistake is to confuse it with other similar expressions like 兴致勃勃 (xìngzhì bóbó), which means 'full of interest.' Ensure you use 兴高采烈 during celebrations or happy events.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 idiom, 兴高采烈 connects to other expressions of emotion and joy. Focus on understanding its nuances compared to simpler expressions of happiness like 高兴 (gāoxìng) and learn how to use it in context to improve your fluency.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce the tones, saying 'xing3 gao1 cai3 lie4' instead of the correct 'xing4 gao1 cai3 lie4.' Another common error is using it inappropriately in serious contexts, where a more neutral term would be better.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 兴高采烈

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Idiom Spotlight: 兴高采烈

Chengyu Origin Story
Literal meaning:happy high gather joyful

Component Characters

兴Xīngto rise
HSK 26 strokes八
View full entry
高gāohigh
HSK 210 strokes高
View full entry
采cǎito pick
HSK 78 strokes釆
View full entry
烈lièardent
10 strokes灬
View full entry

How to say happy and excited (idiom) in Chinese

“happy and excited (idiom)” in Chinese is兴高采烈xìnggāocǎiliè

兴高采烈 is an idiom that describes a state of being extremely happy and excited. It is often used to express joy in response to good news or a celebratory event, capturing a sense of enthusiasm and high spirits.

When to use 兴高采烈

This idiom is generally used in informal contexts to convey happiness. A common mistake is to confuse it with other similar expressions like 兴致勃勃 (xìngzhì bóbó), which means 'full of interest.' Ensure you use 兴高采烈 during celebrations or happy events.

兴高采烈 or something close to it

欢天喜地 (huāntiānxǐdì) - use 兴高采烈 when emphasizing a personal state of excitement, while 欢天喜地 conveys a more communal or festive joy.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce the tones, saying 'xing3 gao1 cai3 lie4' instead of the correct 'xing4 gao1 cai3 lie4.' Another common error is using it inappropriately in serious contexts, where a more neutral term would be better.

Write 兴高采烈

兴
高
采
烈

Practice writing 兴高采烈 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 兴高采烈

兴高采烈 functions as a four-character idiom (成语). Treat it as a fixed unit; it usually plays the role of a single adjective, adverb, or noun phrase inside the larger sentence. It carries 3 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

她之前听起来____的,她需要的只是休息。

She sounded quite chirpy, all she needs is rest.

Example Sentences for 兴高采烈 (4)

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1
她之前听起来兴高采烈的,她需要的只是休息。

tā zhī qián tīng qǐ lái xīng gāo cǎi liè de, , tā xū yào de zhī shì xiū。

She sounded quite chirpy, all she needs is rest.
2
河伯兴高采烈地顺着水势向东游去,一直游到了大海.

hé bó xīng gāo cǎi liè dì shùn zháo shuǐ shì xiàng dōng yóu qù, , yī zhí yóu dào le dà.

The delighted He Bo swims downstream eastward until he enters the sea.
3
选举后一片兴高采烈。

xuǎn jǔ hòu yī piàn xīng gāo cǎi liè。

There was euphoria after the elections.
4
孩子们在院子里兴高采烈地乱蹦乱跳.

hái zǐ mén zài yuàn zǐ lǐ xīng gāo cǎi liè dì luàn bèng luàn tiào.

The children cut a caper in the yard.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 兴高采烈

It's best suited for informal settings; in formal contexts, consider alternatives that convey happiness more subtly.

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