享受
xiǎngshòu
The English verb 'enjoy' can be translated into Mandarin in several ways depending on the context. The default form is 享受 (xiǎngshòu). Wiktionary also lists 欣賞 / 欣赏 (xīnshǎng) and 喜愛 / 喜爱 (xǐ'ài).
Meaning: to receive pleasure or satisfaction from something (verb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 享受 | xiǎngshòu |
| 欣賞 / 欣赏 | xīnshǎng |
| 喜愛 / 喜爱 | xǐ'ài |
Unlike the English verb 'enjoy', which can take a direct object like 'enjoy the party', 享受 is more commonly used for abstract benefits or sensory experiences rather than specific social events.
Which one should you use?
Mandarin uses different words depending on what specifically is being enjoyed. Use 享受 to express enjoying physical or material comforts, sensory pleasures or life benefits such as sunlight. Use 欣賞 when you mean to appreciate or admire the aesthetic value of something like music, art or scenery. Use 喜愛 when 'enjoy' implies a fondness or a hobby, such as enjoying (liking) a certain type of music or a person.
How do you pronounce it?
xiǎngshòu
Did you know?
- The character 享 in 享受 historically referred to the act of offering sacrifices to ancestors, where the living shared the 'enjoyment' of the meal with the dead.
- To tell someone to 'enjoy your meal', Mandarin speakers rarely use 享受 and instead say 慢慢吃, which literally means 'eat slowly'.
- While 享受 means 'enjoy', it can also be used as a noun meaning 'a treat' or 'a luxury', whereas English usually requires a separate word like 'luxury' for this usage.
Examples in context
- 來這享受陽光吧。Come and enjoy the sunlight.This sentence shows how to use 享受 with sunlight.Tatoeba #3742388 by egg0073, translation #7807348 by sharris123
- 我還要享受更多。I want to enjoy much more.This sentence demonstrates wanting to enjoy more.Tatoeba #5964285 by xjjAstrus, translation #9639970 by ldegraaf
- 我非常享受你的陪伴。I really enjoy your company.This sentence illustrates using 享受 to describe enjoying someone's company.Tatoeba #4844756 by sadhen, translation #4583943 by AlanF_US
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jiayi and Junjie are relaxing at a high-end spa.
- 浩然 Haoran你覺得這裡怎麼樣？Nǐ juéde zhèlǐ zěnmeyàng?What do you think of this place?
- 佳怡 Jiayi我很享受這裡的寧靜。Wǒ hěn xiǎngshòu zhèlǐ de níngjìng.I really enjoy the tranquility here.
- 浩然 Haoran我也是，感覺很放鬆。Wǒ yěshì, gǎnjué hěn fàngsōng.Me too, I feel very relaxed.
- 佳怡 Jiayi讓我們繼續享受這段時光吧。Ràng wǒmen jìxù xiǎngshòu zhè duàn shíguāng ba.Let's continue to enjoy this time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “enjoy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
