ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY

to like / happy / joy

12 strokes · 口 (mouth) at the bottom · HSK 1

Where 喜 comes from

喜 shows a drum (the top part, 壴) over a mouth (口) — the image of music and a smiling, singing mouth: celebration. It has meant joy and happiness since ancient times.

喜 in Chinese culture

喜 is joy itself — and gets its fullest life paired with 欢 (next) as 喜欢 (xǐhuan), 'to like'. It fills happy occasions: 喜事 (a happy event, esp. a wedding), 恭喜 (congratulations). The doubled character 囍 ('double happiness') is THE wedding symbol, pasted on doors and gifts to bless a marriage. Red 囍 everywhere means someone's getting married. 喜 is the character of celebration.

Example

喜欢 xǐhuan — to like

我很喜欢你。
Wǒ hěn xǐhuan nǐ.
I like you very much.

How to remember it

A drum over a singing mouth (口) — celebration, JOY.

囍 — two 喜 side by side, 'double happiness' — is THE Chinese wedding symbol, pasted in red on doors and gifts. See it and someone's getting married.

Same sound, different tones

西
1st xī
west
2nd xí
to practice
3rd xǐ
to like / joy
4th xì
to tie / system

Words unlocked by 喜

喜欢 xǐhuan
to like
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