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喜闻乐见 (xǐ wén lè jiàn) — well received; popular; to one's liking

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'well received, popular' — used to describe art forms or content the public enjoys. It focuses on audience approval, unlike 喜出望外, which describes personal joy at unexpected good news.

phrase
well receivedpopularto one's liking

Examples

  • 喜闻乐见。
    Zhè zhǒng yì shù xíng shì shēn shòu qún zhòng xǐ wén lè jiàn.
    This art form is deeply loved by the masses.
  • 喜闻乐见。
    xǐ wén lè jiàn De jié mù cái néng cháng jiǔ.
    Only well-received programs can last long.
  • 喜闻乐见。
    Dà jiā xǐ wén lè jiàn de gù shi wǎng wǎng jiǎn dān ér zhēn shí.
    Stories that people love to hear and see are often simple and true.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

喜闻like to hear
喜xǐlike闻wénhear
动宾Verb + object
乐见glad to see
乐lèglad见jiànsee
动宾Verb + object

The 喜 like and 闻 hear pair runs parallel to the 乐 glad and 见 see pair, giving well received.

Characters in this word

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 聞; 闻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
門
門mén聞wén
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 聞, 門 supplies the sound and 耳 is an ear; this explanation is about 聞, not the simplified 闻.

Open 闻 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樂; 乐 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 樂, 絲 (string) with 木 (wood) shows strings on a piece of wood, a musical instrument; the simplified 乐 is a later shorthand.

Open 乐 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 見; 见 is its simplified writing.

  • 目目mùeye
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The traditional form 見 pairs 目 (eye) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a kneeling figure with a large eye for a head. The simplified 见 is a later shorthand.

Open 见 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

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