喜欢

xǐ huan v.

to like; to be fond of

to like; to be fond of

To like, be fond of, or enjoy (喜 joyful + 欢 pleased); expresses affection for people, foods, or leisure activities.

Common Usage & Traps

  • 喜欢他 (xǐhuan tā) — like him
  • 喜欢吃 (xǐhuan chī) — like to eat
  • 很喜欢 (hěn xǐhuan) — like very much
  • 喜欢很 很喜欢

    很 must sit before 喜欢, not after it.

  • 喜欢他吗?是 喜欢他吗?喜欢。

    Chinese yes/no answers repeat the verb instead of saying 是.

Why does 我喜欢很他 sound broken, while 我很喜欢他 works?

很 goes before 喜欢, not after it. 我喜欢很他 is broken.

Think of 很 as a 'very' sticker. You stick it on the front of 喜欢, never the back. So 我很喜欢他 means I like him very much. 我喜欢很他 jams the sticker in the wrong spot, and native ears hear broken grammar.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Word order我很喜欢他我喜欢很他
MeaningI like him very muchBroken: I like very him

When someone asks 你喜欢他吗, why is 是 a wrong answer?

Answer 喜欢吗 by repeating the verb, not by saying 是.

Chinese yes/no questions do not use 是 as a yes button. You echo the main verb instead. If someone asks 你喜欢他吗, answer 喜欢 or 不喜欢. Saying 是 sounds like you are confirming some other fact, not answering the feeling question.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Answer喜欢。 / 不喜欢。是。
What it sounds likeEchoing the feelingConfirming a fact

Why do you say 我不喜欢他, not 我没喜欢他?

Use 不 for not liking. 没 is for actions that did not happen.

喜欢 is a feeling, not a finished action. To say you do not like someone now, use 不: 我不喜欢他. Use 没 for things that did not happen, like 我没去. 我没喜欢他 sounds like a past never-liked situation, and even then people often add 过.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Not liking now我不喜欢他我没喜欢他

Appears in Stories 15 stories

Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.

《我们一家》 (A Family Dinner at the Restaurant) HSK 2
~6 min read 401 chars
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In this warm dialogue, a parent introduces their family at a restaurant. A teacher gently corrects common mistakes about family words and names, making it perfect for HSK 2 learners.

  • 他姓钱,我们都 喜欢 叫他“老钱”,您可以叫他“小钱”。

  • 两位老人都 喜欢 在家吃。

《友好的高友朋》 (A Friendly New Friend at Work) HSK 2
~4 min read 243 chars
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Meet Gao Youpeng, a friendly Beijing coworker who welcomes the narrator with local dishes and a simple language-exchange plan. This warm HSK 2 story is perfect for first readings about work and friendship.

  • 这是我第一次在中国吃中国菜,很好吃,我很 喜欢 。

《你误会方便面了吗?》 (Are Instant Noodles Misunderstood?) HSK 6
~10 min read 1171 chars
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Think instant noodles are unhealthy? This HSK 6 article challenges common myths and reveals surprising facts about nutrition, oil, and salt in this convenient food.

  • 事实上,油炸方便面的含油量比中国人传统常吃的油条,以及现在年轻人 喜欢 的炸薯条、炸土豆片什么的低很多,只是它们的二分之一不到。

《这还是茶馆儿吗?》 (Teahouse or Cinema?) HSK 3
~3 min read 325 chars
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Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.

  • 他说,现在 喜欢 去茶馆喝茶的老北京不很多了。

  • 因为他们不 喜欢 现在的茶馆。

《大学者和小人物》 (The Scholar and the Cookie Seller) HSK 5
~8 min read 882 chars
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Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.

  • 他除了做饼干、卖饼干,还爱读一点书, 喜欢 与人讨论政治制度。

  • 胡之适说,他 喜欢 游泳,可是鼻子里长了一个东西,水中呼吸不方便。

《哪里哪里!》 (Where is 'Where'?) HSK 1
~6 min read 432 chars
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Chat about where friends study Chinese while exploring 哪儿 and 哪里 across Beijing and Shanghai. Practice asking “where”, talking about “here” and “there”, and using the modest reply 哪里哪里 to accept a compliment.

  • 北京人 喜欢 说“哪儿”,上海人 喜欢 说“哪里”。

  • 小米:北京人 喜欢 说“这儿”和“那儿”。

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