难得

• Pinyin: nán dé
• Hanzi breakdown: 难 = 又 + 隹 (bird), difficult; 得 = 彳+ 寸 + 旦, to obtain

Meaning

Rare; hard to come by; rarely. Something that doesn't happen often and is therefore precious.

Can function as an adjective (rare, precious) or adverb (rarely). Often used to express appreciation for something uncommon or to emphasize the specialness of an occasion. Carries a positive connotation of something being valuable because it's rare.

Examples

1. 今天天气这么好，难得啊，我们出去走走吧。 The weather is so nice today, which is rare; let's go out for a walk.
2. 他难得回家一趟，全家人都特别高兴。 He rarely comes home, so the whole family is especially happy.
3. 这是一个难得的机会，一定要好好把握。 This is a rare opportunity; you must seize it well.

Usage Guide

Context: appreciation, opportunity, everyday

Tone: appreciative

Do Say

• 难得有空，我们一起吃个饭吧。(It's rare to have free time; let's have a meal together.)
• 他难得这么开心，别打扰他。(He's rarely this happy; don't disturb him.)

Don't Say

• 这本书很难得便宜。(难得 doesn't mean 'difficult to be' — for cheap books, say 这本书很少打折 or 便宜的书不多)

Origin & History

难 (nán, difficult) + 得 (dé, to obtain). Hard to obtain; therefore rare and precious.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal