兴高采烈

興高采烈

xìnggāo-cǎiliè

idiom HSK 7 #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。

Háizimen xìnggāo-cǎiliè de pǎochū 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 xìnggāo-cǎiliè 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