同喜 (tóng xǐ) — thank you, and the same to you (polite response to congratulations)

Definition

A polite set phrase meaning 'the same to you' — said in reply when someone congratulates you. It is a formulaic courtesy response, not used in other contexts.

idiom
thank youand the same to you (polite response to congratulations)

Examples

  • “”，“同喜”。
    Kè rén shuō "gōng xǐ fā cái", zhǔ rén xiào zhe huí dá "tóng xǐ".
    The guest said 'Congratulations and may you be prosperous', and the host smiled and replied '∼'.
  • ，“同喜”。
    Péng you zhù hè nǐ xīn hūn kuài lè, nǐ yīng gāi shuō "tóng xǐ" biǎo shì lǐ mào.
    When a friend congratulates you on your happy marriage, you should say '∼' to be polite.
  • ，“同喜”。
    Dà jiā zài nián yè fàn shàng hù xiāng dào xǐ, tā duān qǐ jiǔ bēi shuō le shēng "tóng xǐ".
    Everyone was exchanging congratulations at the New Year's Eve dinner, and he raised his glass and said '∼'.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

同tóngtogether
喜xǐrejoice

同 means together and 喜 means rejoice, so the meaning is sharing the joy.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

同 originally drew a pipe. It is the old form of 筒.

Open 同 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

喜 combines 壴, a drum, with 口, a mouth.

Open 喜 →

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