开心

• Pinyin: kāi xīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 开 (kāi) — to open; 心 (xīn) — heart — literally 'open heart'

Meaning

Happy; delighted; glad. A common expression for feeling pleased or joyful.

One of the most common words for happiness in daily conversation. More colloquial and lighthearted than 高兴, often used to describe a cheerful mood. Can be used as both adjective and verb.

Examples

1. 今天我很开心。 I'm very happy today.
2. 和朋友一起玩，她很开心。 Playing with friends, she was very happy.
3. 看到你，我真开心！ Seeing you, I'm really happy!

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, emotions, greetings

Tone: cheerful

Do Say

• 祝你每天都开心！(I wish you happiness every day!)
• 她笑得很开心。(She laughed very happily.)

Don't Say

• 不要在别人难过时随便说'你要开心' (Don't casually tell someone to be 开心 when they are going through something difficult — it can sound dismissive)

Origin & History

Compound of 开 (to open) and 心 (heart). Literally 'open heart,' vividly depicting the feeling of joy.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal