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喜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
to be fond ofHSK 1, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #3124, Hard
to likeHSK 1, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #3124, Hard
to enjoyHSK 1, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #3124, Hard
to be happyHSK 1, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #3124, Hard
to feel pleasedHSK 1, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #3124, Hard
happinessHSK 1, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #3124, Hard
delightHSK 1, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #3124, Hard
gladHSK 1, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #3124, Hard
to love; to enjoy, to be happy; joyful, gladHSK 1, v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #3124, Hard
(xi3) T3
  1. 1to be fond of
  2. 2to like
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(xi3)

喜 (xǐ) means to be fond of or to enjoy something. It conveys a sense of happiness or pleasure, often used in contexts where someone expresses joy about an event or experience, such as liking food, activities, or company.

Strokes12RadicalFrequency#3124DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, joy is often expressed during celebrations such as weddings or festivals, where the character 喜 is frequently seen in decorations, symbolizing happiness and good fortune.

Memory Tip

Imagine a happy person jumping up and down with joy (喜) because they found their favorite food. The character looks like a person with arms raised in delight, connecting the visual shape with the meaning of happiness.

Meanings of 喜

(xi3)
1to be fond of
2to like
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 喜

Simplified
12Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3124Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1

Podcast: 喜

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 喜

Quick Contrast

喜欢 (xǐ huān) vs 喜悦 (xǐ yuè) — use 喜 (xǐ) for a general sense of enjoyment, while 喜悦 (xǐ yuè) emphasizes a deeper, more profound joy.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a happy person jumping up and down with joy (喜) because they found their favorite food. The character looks like a person with arms raised in delight, connecting the visual shape with the meaning of happiness.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 喜 with other similar characters like 爱 (ài), which means 'love' and has a stronger emotional connotation. 喜 is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, often appearing in expressions like '喜欢' (xǐ huān), meaning 'to like'.

HSK Study Tips

Although 喜 is not part of the official HSK levels, it connects well with basic vocabulary regarding emotions and preferences. Students should focus on its usage in simple sentences and combine it with other verbs to express more complex feelings.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, joy is often expressed during celebrations such as weddings or festivals, where the character 喜 is frequently seen in decorations, symbolizing happiness and good fortune.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 喜 with 快乐 (kuài lè), which means 'happy.' For example, saying '我快乐这个' is incorrect; the correct form is '我喜欢这个' (Wǒ xǐ huān zhè ge).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 喜

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Etymology of 喜

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Singing 口 and beating drums 壴

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 喜?

Decomposition of 喜

IDS Structure⿱壴口
Full Character
=
Zhu4
top
kou3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 喜?

Write 喜

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

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Grammar Patterns of 喜

喜 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 9 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

Complete the Sentence

我不____欢看电视。

I don't like watching TV.

Example Sentences for 喜 (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
我喜爱歌剧,去年我搞到几张科芬园皇家歌剧院的票。

wǒ xǐ ài gē jù, , qù nián wǒ gǎo dào jī zhāng kē fēn yuán huáng jiā gē jù yuàn de。

I love opera and last year I got tickets for Covent Garden.
3
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.
4
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.
5
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.
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
你可以跟着一起唱你最喜爱的“猫王”的热门歌曲。

nǐ kě yǐ gēn zháo yī qǐ chàng nǐ zuì xǐ ài de“ “ māo” wáng ” de rè mén。

You can sing along to your favourite Elvis hits.
8
你认为自己深受民众喜爱吗?

nǐ rèn wéi zì jǐ shēn shòu mín zhòng xǐ ài ma?

Do you have the sense that you are loved by the public?
9
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.
10
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.

Cultural Notes for 喜

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, joy is often expressed during celebrations such as weddings or festivals, where the character 喜 is frequently seen in decorations, symbolizing happiness and good fortune.

Word Family of 喜

Compounds23
xi1happy, giggling, laughing; an interjection
xi1to enjoy; to play, to amuse oneself
xi3happiness; congratulations
xi1dim light, a glimmer; warm; bright
Xi1joy, gladness, delight; surname
xi3spider; caulking
Words Containing This Character20
喜欢xǐhuanto like喜歡
to like
恭喜gōngxǐgreetings
惊喜jīngxǐnice surprise驚喜
喜爱xǐ’àito like喜愛
喜剧xǐjùcomedy喜劇
喜悦xǐyuèhappy喜悅
欢喜happy歡喜
欣喜xīnxǐhappy
喜庆xǐqìngjubilation喜慶
喜好xǐhàoto like
大喜exultation
可喜gratifying
喜讯good news喜訊
恭喜发财May you have a prosperous New Year! (New Year's greeting)恭喜發財
喜事xǐshìwedding
喜怒哀乐xǐnùāilèfour types of human emotions, namely: happiness 歡喜|欢喜[huān​xǐ], anger 憤怒|愤怒[fèn​nù], sorrow 悲哀[bēi​'āi] and joy 快樂|快乐[kuài​lè]喜怒哀樂
有喜to be expecting
欣喜若狂to be wild with joy (idiom)
喜酒xǐjiǔwedding feast
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 嘻 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 喜

You can say '我喜欢这个' (Wǒ xǐ huān zhè ge), meaning 'I like this.'