荣幸
róngxìng
The Chinese word for 'honored' is 荣幸 (róngxìng).
荣幸 describes the feeling of being proud and grateful due to a special privilege or a compliment. You can say 很荣幸 (hěn róngxìng) to say 'very honored' in polite contexts. If you want to express that you feel honored and surprised, which implies feeling both honored and humbled, you can use the phrase 受宠若惊.
Which one should you use?
In English, 'honored' can function as a simple adjective, but in Chinese, 荣幸 is often used as a predicate to express a state of being, such as in the sentence 我很荣幸 (I am honored).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
荣幸 is a formal term suitable for professional or respectful social settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the feeling of being honored, you can use the phrase 感到荣幸 (gǎndào róngxìng).
How do you pronounce it?
róngxìng
Did you know?
- The character 荣 in 荣幸 originally referred to the lush foliage of a tree. This suggests that feeling 'honored' is linked to the imagery of growth and flourishing.
- The concept of 'honor' in 荣幸 is closely tied to 'face' or 面子 (miànzi). Receiving honor is seen not just as a personal feeling, but as a way of increasing the social standing of both parties involved.
- The character 幸 in 荣幸 also carries the meaning of 'good fortune' or 'luck'. Therefore, being 'honored' in Chinese carries an undertone of being 'blessed by luck' through the compliment received.
Examples in context
- 难道你不感到荣幸？Don't you feel honored?This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 荣幸 in a question.Tatoeba #4402794 by knifegod, translation #3823740 by CK
- 觉得很荣幸能参与。谢谢！I feel very honored to be able to participate. Thank you!
- 我很荣幸能参加这个会议。I am honored to attend this meeting.
- 能见到您是我的荣幸。Néng jiàn dào nín shì wǒ de róngxìng.It is my honor to meet you.
Example conversation
A formal ceremony where an award is presented.
- 志强 Zhiqiang非常荣幸能为你颁奖。Fēicháng róngxìng néng wèi nǐ bānjiǎng.It is a great honor to present this award to you.
- 梓涵 Zihan谢谢，我感到非常荣幸。Xièxiè, wǒ gǎndào fēicháng róngxìng.Thank you, I feel very honored.
- 志强 Zhiqiang梓涵，你表现得太出色了。Zǐhán, nǐ biǎoxiàn de tài chūsè le.Zihan, you performed exceptionally well.
- 梓涵 Zihan谢谢您的鼓励。Xièxiè nín de gǔlì.Thank you for your encouragement.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
