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羡慕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
羡慕xiànmùto envyHSK 4, v, rank #6153, Hard
羡慕xiànmùto admireHSK 4, v, rank #6153, Hard
xiànmù(xian4mu4) T4
  1. 1to envy
  2. 2to admire
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March 24, 2026
羡慕(羨慕)xiànmù(xian4mu4)

羡慕 (xian4 mu4) means to feel envy or admiration towards someone else's good fortune or qualities. It is commonly used in contexts where one appreciates another person's achievements or possessions while also feeling a desire for them. The nuance often involves a positive admiration, rather than a negative jealousy.

Frequency#6153DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing 羡慕 can be seen as a way to acknowledge someone's hard work and success rather than simply feeling negative. It reflects a cultural value of appreciating others' efforts and achievements.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person standing in front of a beautiful garden, admiring the vibrant flowers while feeling a pang of envy that they can't have such a garden. The character 羡 (xian) has the radical for 'sheep' (羊), representing gentleness in feeling, while 慕 (mu) has the heart radical (心), indicating deep feelings. Together, they symbolize a gentle heart feeling admiration and envy.

Meanings of 羡慕

xiànmù(xian4mu4)
1to envy
2to admire
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 羡慕

羡慕Simplified
羨慕Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#6153Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 羡慕

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Podcast: 羡慕

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AI Study Notes for 羡慕

Quick Contrast

嫉妒 (jí dù) — use 羡慕 when expressing positive admiration for someone else's success, while 嫉妒 conveys a more negative feeling of resentment towards their good fortune.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person standing in front of a beautiful garden, admiring the vibrant flowers while feeling a pang of envy that they can't have such a garden. The character 羡 (xian) has the radical for 'sheep' (羊), representing gentleness in feeling, while 慕 (mu) has the heart radical (心), indicating deep feelings. Together, they symbolize a gentle heart feeling admiration and envy.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 羡慕 with 嫉妒 (ji2 du4), which means jealousy with a more negative connotation. This word is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but leans more towards informal when discussing personal feelings. A common collocation is 羡慕别人 (to envy others).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 羡慕 connects well with other emotion-related vocabulary. Students should focus on using it in sentences that express feelings about achievements, such as 羡慕他的成功 (envy his success), to practice context and structure.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing 羡慕 can be seen as a way to acknowledge someone's hard work and success rather than simply feeling negative. It reflects a cultural value of appreciating others' efforts and achievements.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 羡慕 with 嫉妒 (jealousy), leading to misunderstandings in emotional context. For example, saying '我嫉妒他的成功' (I envy his success) should be corrected to '我羡慕他的成功' to convey the intended admiration.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 羡慕

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Component Characters

羡xiànto envy
12 strokes羊
View full entry
慕mùto admire
14 strokes⺗
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Write 羡慕

羡
慕

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

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Grammar Patterns of 羡慕

羡慕 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他们的收入和生活方式会令很多人都____不已。

They enjoyed an income and lifestyle that many people would envy.

Example Sentences for 羡慕 (6)

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1
他们的收入和生活方式会令很多人都羡慕不已。

tā mén de shōu rù hé shēng huó fāng shì huì líng hěn duō rén dū xiàn mù bù yǐ。

They enjoyed an income and lifestyle that many people would envy.
2
伊娃的声音里可能会有一丝羡慕吗？

yī wá de shēng yīn lǐ kě néng huì yǒu yī sī xiàn mù ma？

Could there have been a slight tinge of envy in Eva's voice?
3
也许是羡慕，但我认为更多的是嫉妒。

yě xǔ shì xiàn mù， ， dàn wǒ rèn wéi gēng duō de shì jí。

Maybe there is jealousy, but I think the envy is more powerful.
4
英国妇女的乳腺癌患病率很低，着实令人羡慕。

yīng guó fù nǚ de rǔ xiàn ái huàn bìng shuài hěn dī， ， zháo shí líng rén xiàn。

Britain has an enviable record on breast screening for cancer.
5
当然, 羡慕和嫉妒是少不了的, 人之常情嘛.

dāng rán, , xiàn mù hé jí dù shì shǎo bù le, de , rén zhī cháng.

Jealousy, naturally , will come with admiration. For that's the way things are.
6
安妮塔羡慕姐姐不受道德观念的制约，藐视公众舆论。

ān nī tǎ xiàn mù jiě jiě bù shòu dào dé guān niàn de zhì yuē， ， miǎo shì gōng zhòng yú。

Anita envied her sister's amorality and contempt for public opinion.

Cultural Notes for 羡慕

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, expressing 羡慕 can be seen as a way to acknowledge someone's hard work and success rather than simply feeling negative. It reflects a cultural value of appreciating others' efforts and achievements.

Frequently Asked Questions about 羡慕

No, it can also be a positive admiration, reflecting appreciation for someone's qualities or achievements.