夸奖

• Pinyin: kuā jiǎng
• Hanzi breakdown: 夸 = praise; 奖 = 丬 + 大 + 犬 — reward/commend

Meaning

To praise; to compliment; to commend. Expressing approval or admiration for someone.

A common and straightforward word for praising someone. More neutral than 赞美 (to eulogize) and more standard than colloquial 夸. Often used in educational and professional contexts.

Examples

1. 老板在会上夸奖了他的工作表现。 The boss praised his work performance in the meeting.
2. 孩子受到夸奖后学习更有动力了。 After receiving praise, the child became more motivated to study.
3. 她做的报告得到了客户的夸奖。 Her presentation received compliments from the clients.

Usage Guide

Context: education, workplace, parenting

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 谢谢您的夸奖。(Thank you for your praise.)
• 孩子需要适当的夸奖。(Children need appropriate praise.)

Don't Say

• 过度夸奖可能适得其反。(Excessive praise can backfire — this is usage advice, not an error)

Origin & History

Compound of 夸 (praise) + 奖 (reward/commend). Together meaning to praise and commend.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal