盛情难却 (shèng qíng nán què) — it's difficult to turn down such warm hospitality; one cannot refuse such kindness

Definition

A set chengyu used to politely accept an offer — 'such warm kindness that it's hard to refuse.' It praises the giver's hospitality and signals the speaker is yielding to it, not demanding more.

idiom
it's difficult to turn down such warm hospitalityone cannot refuse such kindness

Examples

  • ，盛情难却，。
    Péng you yí dìng yào qǐng wǒ chī fàn, zhēn shì shèng qíng nán què, wǒ jiù qù le.
    My friend insisted on treating me to dinner — it was hard to refuse such kindness, so I went.
  • 盛情难却，。
    shèng qíng nán què, Wǒ zhǐ hǎo shōu xià le zhè fèn lǐ wù.
    It was difficult to turn down such warm hospitality, so I had to accept this gift.
  • ，盛情难却，。
    Zhǔ rén tài rè qíng le, shèng qíng nán què, wǒ duō hē le liǎng bēi.
    The host was so warm that I couldn't refuse and ended up drinking two extra glasses.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

盛情warm hospitality
盛shèngabundant情qíngfeeling
偏正Modifier + head
难却hard to refuse
难nándifficult却quèrefuse
偏正Modifier + head

盛情 is the warm kindness offered, and 难却 says it is hard to turn down.

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
皿皿mǐn
Sound part声符shēngfú
成
成chéng盛shèng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

盛 combines 成 as a sound part with 皿 as a meaning part; the 皿 side points to a vessel, which fits meanings such as hold and fill.

Open 盛 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng情qíng
Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Open 情 →

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 難; 难 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
隹隹zhuībird
Sound part声符shēngfú
暵
暵hàn難nán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional 難 pairs 隹, a bird, with 暵 for sound, and meant a type of bird. It was later borrowed for other meanings; the modern 难 is a shorthand.

Open 难 →

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 卻; 却 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
卩卩jié
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧮫
𧮫𧮫卻què
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 卻 uses 𧮫 for sound and 卩 for meaning; the simplified 却 is a shorthand.

Open 却 →

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