How to Write 喜 (xǐ) — Meaning “happy / joy / to like”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember 喜?

Imagine the top 士 as two joyful eyes, the middle 口 as a big smiling mouth, and the bottom 豆 as a gift box. This picture of a happy person receiving a gift helps you link the character to joy.

Q: Are there any special writing tips for 喜?

Write from top to bottom: first the 士 (three strokes), then the narrow 口 (three strokes), and finally the wider 豆 (seven strokes). A common mistake is making the middle 口 too wide—keep it slim so the character looks balanced.

Q: How is 喜 different from 哥 and 㕡?

喜 has three distinct layers (士, 口, 豆) and means happiness, while 哥 is made of two stacked 可 parts and means older brother. 㕡 is a rare character with two mouths (口, 口) stacked and is almost never used in daily life.

Q: In what situations is 喜 used in modern Chinese?

It appears in common words like 喜欢 (to like), 喜剧 (comedy), and the greeting 恭喜发财 (wishing you wealth and happiness). Culturally, the double-happiness symbol 囍 is used at weddings to express shared joy.

Q: What common words use 喜?

Common words containing 喜 include: 喜欢 (xǐ huān) — To like; 喜悦 (xǐ yuè) — Joy; 喜剧 (xǐ jù) — Comedy.

xǐ HSK Level 1 12 strokes Radical: 口

喜 (xǐ) means "happy / joy / to like" in Chinese. It has 12 strokes with the radical 口, and is HSK Level 1.

Rated 3.7/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 84% of HSK Level 1 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 喜欢 (xǐ huān), 喜悦 (xǐ yuè), 喜剧 (xǐ jù).

Due to its 12 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 喜 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 喜 (xǐ)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 喜 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 喜

The character 喜 (xǐ) is written with 12 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 口 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does xǐ (喜) Mean in Chinese?

喜 means happy / joy / to like.

As an HSK Level 1 character, 喜 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Character Data

Character	喜
Pinyin	xǐ (xi)
Meaning	happy / joy / to like
Strokes	12
Radical	口
HSK Level	1
Difficulty	3.7/5

Origin of 喜

喜 combines a drum (壴, showing a drum on a stand) above a mouth (口), representing the joy of music and singing together. The ancient form depicted a drum with an open mouth below, symbolizing celebration and happiness from rhythmic sound.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a drum with two stacked lids (壴) above a big smiling mouth (口) — drumming makes you grin with joy!

Common Words with 喜

喜欢 xǐ huān

To like

喜悦 xǐ yuè

Joy

喜剧 xǐ jù

Comedy

Example Sentences

我喜欢学中文。

wǒ xǐ huān xué zhōng wén

I like learning Chinese.

脸上充满了喜悦。

liǎn shàng chōng mǎn le xǐ yuè

The face is full of joy.

我爱看喜剧片。

wǒ ài kàn xǐ jù piàn

I love watching comedies.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
喜 (current)	xǐ	12	口
㕡	hé	14	口
哥	gē	10	口
哦	é / o / ó / ò	10	口

Practice Writing 喜 (xǐ)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 喜 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

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Frequently Asked Questions about 喜

What are the components of 喜 and how do they relate to its meaning?

喜 is made of three parts: 士 (scholar) on top, 口 (mouth) in the middle, and 豆 (bean) at the bottom. The mouth (口) symbolizes smiling or singing, and together the parts evoke the idea of celebration and happiness.

What is a good memory trick to remember 喜?

Are there any special writing tips for 喜?

How is 喜 different from 哥 and 㕡?

In what situations is 喜 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 喜?

How to Write 喜 (xǐ) — Meaning “happy / joy / to like”

Practice Writing 喜 (xǐ)

How to Write 喜

What Does xǐ (喜) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 喜

Common Words with 喜

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 喜 (xǐ)

Frequently Asked Questions about 喜

More HSK Level 1 Characters

Characters with Radical 口

Other 12-Stroke Characters