What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "very happy to know you": hěn means "very", gāoxìng means "happy", rènshì means "to know/meet" and nǐ means "you".
Which one should you use?
The verb rènshì used in this phrase refers specifically to the act of meeting or knowing a person, whereas the term jiànmiàn refers to the physical act of meeting or seeing someone.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, you can say 真係好開心見到你 (jan1 hai6 hou2 hoi1 sam1 gin3 dou3 nei5) for an informal "nice to meet you". In Taiwanese, the formal version 很高興認識您 (Hēn gāoxìng rènshí nín) is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase more polite or respectful, especially when addressing an elder or a superior, replace the informal nǐ (you) with the formal nín (you) to form 很高兴认识您.
How do you pronounce it?
hěn gāoxìng rènshì nǐ
When do people say it?
When someone says 很高兴认识你 to you, a common and polite response is 我也很高兴认识你, which means "nice to meet you too" by adding wǒ yě (I also) to the beginning.
Did you know?
- The formal 您 (nín) used in 很高兴认识您 was historically created by combining the character for 'you' with the character for 'heart', symbolizing that the person is addressed from the heart.
- In very formal written correspondence or high-level introductions, you might encounter the phrase 久仰 (jiǔyǎng), which actually means 'I have heard of your great name for a long time' rather than 'nice to meet you'.
- In certain business settings, instead of using this phrase, people might simply say 幸会 (xìng huì), a much more formal and condensed way to say 'pleased to meet you' that carries a sense of professional elegance.
Examples in context
- 很高兴认识你。Nice to meet you.This example shows the standard way to use 很高兴认识你.Tatoeba #493913 by adjusting, translation #499617 by Shishir
- 很高兴认识你，王先生。Hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ, Wáng xiānsheng.Nice to meet you, Mr. Wang.
- 今天很高兴认识你。Jīntiān hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ.It is nice to meet you today.
Example conversation
A networking event where two professionals introduce themselves.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你好，我是晓雯。Nǐ hǎo, wǒ shì Xiǎowén.Hello, I am Xiaowen.
- 伟 Wei你好晓雯，我是伟。Nǐ hǎo Xiǎowén, wǒ shì Wěi.Hello Xiaowen, I am Wei.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen很高兴认识你。Hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ.Nice to meet you.
- 伟 Wei我也很高兴认识你。Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ.Nice to meet you too.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
