兴高采烈

興高采烈

xìnggāo-cǎiliè

idiom HSK 7-9 #20,312

Meanings

1 elated; in high spirits
2 overjoyed; excited

Characters

expression; demeanor

intense; fierce

Literally 'spirits high, expression intense' — visibly overjoyed.

Examples

孩子们兴高采烈地跑出教室。

Háizi men xìnggāocǎiliè de pǎo chū jiàoshì.

The children ran out of the classroom in high spirits.

他兴高采烈地告诉我这个好消息。

Tā xìnggāocǎiliè de gàosu wǒ zhège hǎo xiāoxi.

He excitedly told me the good news.

Tips

mistakes

Note the tone: 兴 is read xìng (4th tone) here, not xīng (1st tone). When 兴 means 'mood/interest,' it's 4th tone (兴趣 xìngqù, 兴高采烈 xìnggāo-cǎiliè). When it means 'to rise/prosper,' it's 1st tone (兴起 xīngqǐ, 高兴 gāoxìng is an exception — the 兴 there is also 4th tone).

Stroke Order

兴 xīng

高 gāo

采 cǎi

烈 liè