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欢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
欢huān>欢[huān]HSK 1, v, 6 strokes, radical 欠, rank #6287, Hard
欢huānjoyousHSK 1, v, 6 strokes, radical 欠, rank #6287, Hard
欢huānhappyHSK 1, v, 6 strokes, radical 欠, rank #6287, Hard
欢huānpleasedHSK 1, v, 6 strokes, radical 欠, rank #6287, Hard
欢huānhubbubHSK 1, v, 6 strokes, radical 欠, rank #6287, Hard
欢huānclamorHSK 1, v, 6 strokes, radical 欠, rank #6287, Hard
欢huāna breed of horseHSK 1, v, 6 strokes, radical 欠, rank #6287, Hard
欢huānhappy, glad, joyfulHSK 1, v, 6 strokes, radical 欠, rank #6287, Hard
huān(huan1) T1
  1. 1>欢[huān]
  2. 2joyous
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
欢(懽)huān(huan1)

欢 (huān) means to be happy or joyful. It is often used to express feelings of pleasure or delight in informal contexts, such as greeting friends or celebrating events. The character can also imply a sense of lively or cheerful atmosphere.

Strokes6Radical欠Frequency#6287DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressions of joy and welcoming are essential, especially during festivals and family gatherings. The character 欢 embodies the spirit of celebration and hospitality, which is a significant aspect of social interactions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a joyful person spreading happiness; the character 欢 has a mouth (口) at the bottom, indicating vocal expressions of joy, and a 'happy' top part that looks like a smile. Visualize them shouting 'huān' in delight, making everyone around them smile.

Meanings of 欢

huān(huan1)
1joyous
2happy
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 欢

欢Simplified
懽Traditional
6Strokes
欠Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#6287Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1

Podcast: 欢

JasonAmy

Podcast: 欢

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 欢

Quick Contrast

欢 (huān) vs 喜 (xǐ) — use 欢 for a more lively or cheerful context, while 喜 is more general for happiness.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a joyful person spreading happiness; the character 欢 has a mouth (口) at the bottom, indicating vocal expressions of joy, and a 'happy' top part that looks like a smile. Visualize them shouting 'huān' in delight, making everyone around them smile.

Usage Notes

Be careful to use 欢 in informal settings; it is not typically used in formal or literary contexts. Common collocations include '欢迎' (welcome) and '欢喜' (joyous). Remember that the pronunciation is important, and ensure you use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

欢 is not currently listed in HSK vocabulary, but it connects well with other emotional terms like 高兴 (gāoxìng, happy), which is at HSK Level 3. Focus on using欢 in phrases and dialogue to express emotions, as well as recognizing its use in different contexts.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressions of joy and welcoming are essential, especially during festivals and family gatherings. The character 欢 embodies the spirit of celebration and hospitality, which is a significant aspect of social interactions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 欢 with similar words like 快乐 (kuàilè), thinking they are interchangeable. While both mean happy, 欢 is more informal and context-specific. For example, saying '我欢' (Wǒ huān) to mean 'I am happy' is incorrect; it should be '我高兴' (Wǒ gāoxìng).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 欢

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Etymology of 欢

Explanation

Simplified form of 歡. Phonosemantic compound. 欠 represents the meaning and 雚 represents the sound. 欠 (yawn) is a pictograph of a person with an open mouth. Likely used here to represent a person joyfully laughing.

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Decomposition of 欢

IDS Structure⿰又欠
欢Full Character
=
又you4
left
欠qian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 欢?

Write 欢

欢

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

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Grammar Patterns of 欢

欢 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 8 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 lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我不喜____看电视。

I don't like watching TV.

Example Sentences for 欢 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我们被骗得团团转，我可不喜欢这样。

wǒ mén bèi piàn dé tuán tuán zhuǎn， ， wǒ kě bù xǐ huān zhè。

We're being jerked around, and I don't like it.
2
我的确非常喜欢这里宁静幽雅、不受打扰的氛围。

wǒ de què fēi cháng xǐ huān zhè lǐ níng jìng yōu yǎ、 、 bù shòu dǎ rǎo de fēn。

I do very much appreciate the quietness and privacy here.
3
我本人喜欢电影、诗歌、外出吃饭和远途散步。

wǒ běn rén xǐ huān diàn yǐng、 、 shī、 gē 、 wài chū chī fàn hé yuǎn tú。

I myself enjoy cinema, poetry, eating out and long walks.
4
我尤其喜欢那种用螺钉固定在墙上的搁板。

wǒ yóu qí xǐ huān nà zhǒng yòng luó dīng gù dìng zài qiáng shàng de gē bǎn。

I particularly like the type of shelving that screws to the wall.
5
你得讨卡梅拉的欢心。

nǐ dé tǎo kǎ méi lā de huān xīn。

You'll need to get on the right side of Carmela.
6
你是在干涉人们的宗教信仰，他们并不喜欢你的做法。

nǐ shì zài gān shè rén mén de zōng jiào xìn yǎng， ， tā mén bìng bù xǐ huān nǐ de zuò。

You are messing with people's religion and they don't like that.
7
用你最喜欢的香味熏香你的抽屉和衣柜。

yòng nǐ zuì xǐ huān de xiāng wèi xūn xiāng nǐ de chōu tì hé yī guì。

Scent your drawers and wardrobe with your favourite aromas.
8
你的解释比我以前学过的更让我喜欢。

nǐ de jiě shì bǐ wǒ yǐ qián xué guò de gēng ràng wǒ xǐ huān。

I like your interpretation better than the one I was taught.
9
“这不是我喜欢的音乐形式。”——“对，这不是。”

“ “ zhè bù shì wǒ xǐ huān de yīn lè xíng。”——“ shì， 。”——“ duì ，。”

"It's not one of my favourite forms of music." — "No."
10
想想工作中哪些部分是自己喜欢的，哪些是不喜欢的。

xiǎng xiǎng gōng zuò zhōng nǎ xiē bù fēn shì zì jǐ xǐ huān de， ， nǎ xiē shì bù xǐ huān。

Consider what your likes and dislikes are about your job.

Cultural Notes for 欢

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, expressions of joy and welcoming are essential, especially during festivals and family gatherings. The character 欢 embodies the spirit of celebration and hospitality, which is a significant aspect of social interactions.

Word Family of 欢

Words Containing This Character20
喜欢xǐhuanto like喜歡
欢迎huānyíngto welcome歡迎
欢乐huānlègaiety歡樂
欢huānjoyous歡
狂欢kuánghuānparty狂歡
欢呼huānhūto cheer for歡呼
欢喜happy歡喜
欢笑to laugh happily歡笑
欢快huānkuàilively歡快
联欢liánhuānparty聯歡
欢庆to celebrate歡慶
欢心favor歡心
欢送to see off歡送
新欢new flame新歡
欢欣鼓舞elated and excited (idiom); overjoyed歡欣鼓舞
皆大欢喜As You Like It, comedy by Shakespeare皆大歡喜
欢度to celebrate歡度
欢腾jubilation歡騰
欢聚一堂to gather happily under one roof歡聚一堂
联欢会party聯歡會
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 喜欢 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 欢

No, 欢 is generally used in informal contexts. For formal writing, consider using 高兴 or 快乐.