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欣然 (xīn rán) — joyfully; gladly; with pleasure (formal/literary)

Definition

Formal/literary adverb meaning 'joyfully, with pleasure' — used in writing to show a subject does something willingly and happily. Pairs directly with verbs like 接受, 同意.

adverb
joyfullygladlywith pleasure (formal/literary)

Examples

  • 欣然。
    Tā xīn rán jiē shòu le yāo qǐng.
    He gladly accepted the invitation.
  • 欣然。
    Tā xīn rán tóng yì le wǒ de jiàn yì.
    She joyfully agreed to my suggestion.
  • 欣然。
    Jiào shòu xīn rán qián lái cān jiā jiǎng zuò.
    The professor gladly came to attend the lecture.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

欣xīnjoyful
然ránlike that

欣 gives the joy, and 然 turns it into a state of gladness.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
欠欠qiàn
Sound part声符shēngfú
斤
斤jīn欣
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

欣 combines 斤, which hints at the sound, with 欠, which carries the meaning.

Open 欣 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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