Beginners Chinese Lessons - Chinese Words to Express Happiness: Three Options
高兴【gāoxìng=happy】describes happiness that is the least lasting or is only over a short time period It is often used to express someone’s feeling that is easy to receive the influence of external things, such as momentary mood and pleasant trees.
快乐【kuàilè=happy, happiness】is a quite extended lasting of happiness that is often used to wish people to be happy in special occasions and festivals. It’s also used to express the quite extended happy feeling in a period of time and can be used to describe the personality of someone.
幸福【xìngfú=happy】can also be translated as ‘bless’. It’s used to express a long lasting happy feeling, often in family life context.
I. Chinese Word for Happiness: 高兴【gāoxìng=happy】
The literal meaning of 高兴【gāoxìng】is ‘high excitement’in which 高【gāo=high】and 兴【xìng= mood to do something, excitement】.
高兴【gāoxìng=happy】is often used to describe a temporary moment of happiness or excitement often due to the influence of momentary experiences or material possessions.
Example 1:
I’m so happy to meet you.
我【wǒ=I】很【hěn=very, quite, so】高兴【gāoxìng=happy】认识【rènshi=know】你【nǐ=you】。
我很高兴认识你。
Or, the subject ”我【wǒ=I】”can be omitted:
很【hěn=very】高兴【gāoxìng=happy】认识【rènshi=know】你【nǐ=you】。
很高兴认识你。
Example 2:
Amy, are you happy to come to China?
艾美【àiměi=Amy】，来【lái=come】中国【Zhōngguó=China】高兴【gāoxìng】吗【ma】？
艾美，来中国高兴吗？
Example 3:
I’m very happy to join in today’s meeting.
我【wǒ=I】很【hěn=very】高兴【gāoxìng=happy】来【lái=come】参加【cānjiā=join】今天【jīntiān=today】的【de】会议【huìyì=meeting】。
我很高兴来参加今天的会议。
Example 4:
We are very happy to collaborate with you.
我们【wǒmén=we】很【hěn=very】高兴【gāoxìng】能够【nénggòu=can】和【hé=with】你们【nǐmén=you (second person plural)】一起【yīqǐ=together】合作【hézuò=work together, collaborate】。
我们很高兴能够和你们一起合作。
II. Happiness: 快乐【kuàilè】
Quite literally, 快乐【kuàilè】is the clauses to the English word ‘happy’in which 快【kuài= fast, happy】and 乐【lè=happy】.
a. 快乐【kuàilè】is often used to wish people to be happy in special occasions and festivals.
Example 1:
Merry Christmas
圣诞【shèngdàn=Christmas】快乐【kuàilè=happy】!
圣诞快乐【kuàilè=happy】！
Example 2
Happy Thanksgiving Day
感恩节【gǎn’ēnjié= Thanksgiving day】快乐【kuàilè】！
感恩节快乐！
b. 快乐【kuàilè】can be used for personality of someone.
Example:
Mary is a very happy person.
玛丽【Mali=Mary】是【shì=is】一【yī=a】个【gè=a measure word for persons】很【hěn=very】快乐【kuàilè=happy】的【de】人【rén=person】。
玛丽是一个很快乐的人。
c. 快乐【kuàilè】is used to express an extended happy feeling.
Example:
Tina is very happy with her job.
Literally means,” Tina loves her job, she is very happy”.
蒂娜【dìnuó=Tina】喜欢【xǐhuān=love】她的【tāde=her】工作【gōngzuò=job】，她【tā=she】很【hěn=very】快乐【kuàilè=happy】。
蒂娜喜欢她的工作，她的很快乐。
d. 快乐【kuàilè】can also be used to express an extended happy feeling in a period of time.
Example:
I was very happy in elementary school.
Literary means, “When I was in elementary school, I was very happy”.
小学【xiǎoxué=elementary school】的【de】时候【shíhòu=when】我【wǒ=I】很【hěn=very】快乐【kuàilè=happy】。
小学的时候我很快乐。
e. 快乐【kuàilè】can means ‘happiness’.
Example:
Don’t build your happiness on the pain of others.
别【bié=don’t】把【bǎ】自己【zìjǐ=oneself, own】的【de】快乐【kuàilè=happiness】建筑【jiànzhù=build】在【zài=at】别人【biérén=other people】的【de】痛苦【tòngkǔ=pain】上【shàng=up】。
别把自己的快乐建筑在别人的痛苦上。
III. Happiness: 幸福【xìngfú】
幸福【xìngfú=happy】can also be translated as ‘bless’. 幸福【xìngfú=happy】It is a major Chinese word for happiness.
Example 1:
Dear friends, wish your family happy.
Dear friends, wish your family blessing.
朋友们【péngyǒu men=friends】，祝【zhù=wish】你们【nǐmen=you (second person plural)】家庭【jiātíng=family】幸福【xìngfú=happy, bless】!
朋友们，祝你们家庭幸福！
Example 2:
You are really happy, I work overtime everyday.
You are really blessed, I work overtime everyday.
你【nǐ=you】真【zhēn=really】幸福【xìngfú=happy, bless】，我【wǒ=I】天天【tiāntiān=every day】加班【jiābān=work overtime】。
你真幸福，我天天加班。
Example 2:
I think that living here is so happy.
I think that living here is so blessed.
我【wǒ=I】觉得【juéde=feel, think】在【zài=at】这里【zhelǐ=here】生活【shēnghuó=live】很【hěn=very】幸福【xìngfú=happy, bless】。
我觉得在这里生活很幸福。