享受
xiǎng shòu HSK 5

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

我喜欢享受安静的下午。
Wǒ xǐhuan xiǎngshòu ānjìng de xiàwǔ.
I like to enjoy a quiet afternoon.
他正在享受美味的晚餐。
Tā zhèngzài xiǎngshòu měiwèi de wǎncān.
He is enjoying a delicious dinner.
我们应该享受生活。
Wǒmen yīnggāi xiǎngshòu shēnghuó.
We should enjoy life.
我享受美食。
Wǒ xiǎngshòu měishí.
I enjoy delicious food.
他享受假期。
Tā xiǎngshòu jiàqī.
He enjoys the holiday.

💡 Memory Tip

Break down the characters: 享 (xiǎng) means 'to enjoy' or 'to benefit from,' and 受 (shòu) means 'to receive' or 'to accept.' Together, they literally mean 'to receive enjoyment,' helping you remember it as 'to enjoy.'

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in register and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, as well as in spoken and written Chinese. It is commonly used to describe enjoying abstract experiences (e.g., time, atmosphere, feelings) or concrete things (e.g., food, services).

📖 Grammar Points

享受 is a transitive verb and is often followed by a noun or noun phrase as its object (e.g., 享受生活). It can also be used with verbal phrases or clauses, as in the example: 享受...的感觉 (enjoy the feeling of...). It is not typically used with aspect markers like 着 or 过 in casual speech.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 享受 can sometimes carry a nuanced connotation of indulging in or luxuriating in something, which may be viewed positively (as in enjoying life's pleasures) or slightly negatively (as in being overly self-indulgent), depending on context. It is often associated with modern lifestyles and leisure activities.

🔄 Similar Words

喜欢 (xǐhuan) means 'to like' and is more about general preference, while 享受 emphasizes the active experience of pleasure. 欣赏 (xīnshǎng) means 'to appreciate,' often used for art or scenery, focusing more on admiration than sensory enjoyment.

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