歡迎
hoan-gêng
The English phrase "welcome" is translated into Hokkien as 歡迎 (hoan-gêng).
歡迎 is a greeting given upon someone's arrival. While it can be used as a general greeting, it is most commonly used in a commercial context, such as a shopkeeper welcoming a customer.
Meaning: greeting given upon someone's arrival (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the characters 歡 (hoan) meaning 'joy/happiness' and 迎 (gêng) meaning 'to meet/greet'.
How do you pronounce it?
hoan-gêng
Did you know?
- In many Hokkien-speaking regions like Taiwan, shopkeepers often shout 歡迎 repeatedly in a rhythmic, sing-song cadence to attract passing customers.
- While 歡迎 is a standard welcome, a more traditional way to greet a guest in a Hokkien household involves offering tea or water almost immediately.
- The word 迎 in 歡迎 is also used in the term 迎親, which refers to the specific ritual of a groom welcoming the bride into his family.
Examples in context
- 歡迎！Welcome!This example shows the exclamation 歡迎.Tatoeba #13236777 by tsunhua, translation #4771541 by garborg
- 歡迎。Welcome.This example shows the statement 歡迎.Tatoeba #13253622 by tsunhua, translation #138919 by CM
Example conversation
Xiao Wen greets Zhi Ming at the door of her house.
- 曉雯 Hiau-bun歡迎，志明！hoân-giê, Chì-bêng!Welcome, Zhi Ming!
- 志明 Chi-ming謝謝妳，曉雯。siā-siā lí, Hiáu-bûn.Thank you, Xiao Wen.
- 曉雯 Hiau-bun請進，快來坐。chhián-chìn, khuài-lâi chò.Please come in and have a seat.
- 志明 Chi-ming妳太客氣了。lí thài khè-khì liáu.You are too kind.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
