感激

• Pinyin: gǎn jī
• Hanzi breakdown: 感 = 咸 + 心 (feel, emotion); 激 = 氵 + 放 + 攴 (stir, excite, surge — water radical implies flowing force)

Meaning

To feel deeply grateful; to be sincerely thankful. Expresses a strong sense of appreciation, typically for significant help or genuine kindness.

Stronger and more emotional than 感谢. The set phrase 感激不尽 means 'immensely grateful' and is common in both formal and informal contexts. Used in both spoken and written Chinese. Typically directed at individuals who have provided real, meaningful support.

Examples

1. 经历了那次危难，他对每一位伸出援手的陌生人心存深深的感激，此情终身难忘。 After that crisis, he felt deep gratitude toward every stranger who reached out to help—something he would never forget for the rest of his life.
2. 她在信中写道，自己对导师长期以来给予的无私指导与真诚关怀感激不尽，无以为报。 In her letter, she wrote that she was endlessly grateful for her advisor’s selfless guidance and sincere care over the years, and had no way to repay it.
3. 能够获得这份珍贵的奖学金，他对评审委员会的充分信任与高度认可充满真诚的感激。 To receive this precious scholarship, he felt sincere gratitude for the committee’s trust and high recognition.

Usage Guide

Context: emotional, social, formal writing

Tone: warm

Do Say

• 他深深感激曾在人生最艰难的时刻毫不犹豫地给予自己帮助的每一位真诚的朋友。(He feels deeply grateful to every genuine friend who unhesitatingly offered help at the most difficult moments of his life.)
• 她接受媒体采访时说，对于广大观众多年来持续给予的厚爱与支持，自己始终怀有真诚的感激。(In a media interview, she said she has always held sincere gratitude for the sustained affection and support that audiences have given her over the years.)

Don't Say

• 我对这次好天气感激不已 — 感激 is directed at people for personal acts of kindness; use 庆幸 or 感到幸运 for good fortune or impersonal circumstances

Origin & History

感 (feel/touch) + 激 (stir/excite/surge)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal