开心
kāixīn
happy / joyful
开心 is a casual, warm way to say happy or delighted. It is very common in daily conversation among friends and family.
Example sentences
你今天看起来很开心。
Nǐ jīntiān kàn qǐlái hěn kāixīn.
You look very happy today.
祝你生日快乐，天天开心。
Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè, tiāntiān kāixīn.
Happy birthday, may you be happy every day.
How to use 开心 in practice
开心 is a emotions & feelings item that is easiest to learn inside a complete sentence. Read it with the pinyin kāixīn, then connect it to the meaning “happy / joyful” before trying to use it from memory. The examples on this page show the phrase in context: 你今天看起来很开心。 / 祝你生日快乐，天天开心。.
When you practice 开心, do not stop at recognition. Say one example aloud, swap in a new person, place, object, or time word, and then use the phrase in a short answer. This turns a glossary entry into real Mandarin output and exposes word-order or pronunciation mistakes quickly.
Common learner mistake
A common learner mistake is to memorize 开心 only as “happy / joyful” and then translate word by word from English. Instead, learn the whole chunk with the words around it. Notice which nouns, verbs, measure words, or polite markers appear before and after the phrase, and copy that pattern in your own sentence.
Mini practice prompt
Practice prompt: open Chinese speaking practice, start a short conversation, and use 开心 naturally in your first or second reply. If the sentence feels awkward, compare it with the examples above and try again with a smaller sentence.
Memory tip: review 开心 tomorrow by covering the English meaning, reading only kāixīn, and producing a sentence before checking the examples. Active recall helps this word survive beyond one reading session.
Practice related pages
FAQ
Can 开心 be used in formal situations?
It leans casual. In formal situations, 高兴 or 愉快 may be more appropriate.
How can I remember 开心 faster?
Say 开心 inside a full sentence, change one detail, and repeat it in a realistic prompt. The combination of sound, meaning, and context is stronger than memorizing the translation alone.
Can I use 开心 in conversation practice?
Yes. Start with the example sentence, then use 开心 in a short AI conversation so you can see whether the surrounding word order and tone feel natural.
Published by AI Chinese Coach