喜欢
to like; to enjoy
xǐhuan
What does 喜欢 mean?
喜欢 (xǐhuan) is the standard verb for 'to like' or 'to enjoy' — applicable to people, objects, food, activities, and ideas. It covers a wide range of affection: from 我喜欢咖啡 (I like coffee, light preference) to 我喜欢他 (I like him, which can mean romantic interest depending on tone). Key grammar features for English speakers: 喜欢 takes a noun OR a verb directly after it, no preposition needed. 'I like to swim' is 我喜欢游泳 — no 'to' particle. Negation uses 不: 不喜欢 (don't like). To intensify, add 很 (很喜欢 'really like') or 非常 (非常喜欢 'extremely like'). The second syllable 欢 is pronounced in the NEUTRAL tone (xǐhuan), NOT xǐhuān — this is a common pinyin error. Romantic note: 喜欢 is milder than 爱 (ài, 'love'); confessing 我喜欢你 is the equivalent of 'I like you' rather than 'I love you'.
Character breakdown
happy; joyful; to be pleased
joyful; merry
Memory hook: Both characters mean 'joy / happiness' — to 'like' something is to find joy in it. 喜 + 欢 = joy-joy.
Example sentences
我喜欢你。
Wǒ xǐhuan nǐ.
I like you.
spoken
你喜欢吃什么？
Nǐ xǐhuan chī shénme?
What do you like to eat?
spoken
他很喜欢看书。
Tā hěn xǐhuan kàn shū.
He really likes reading.
neutral
我不喜欢喝茶。
Wǒ bù xǐhuan hē chá.
I don't like drinking tea.
neutral
我最喜欢中国菜。
Wǒ zuì xǐhuan Zhōngguó cài.
I like Chinese food the most.
spoken
Common phrases with 喜欢
Hear it in real Fluentide episodes
喜欢 appears in 3 podcast episodes at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
爱 means 'to love' and is much stronger than 喜欢. Use 喜欢 for preferences and mild affection; reserve 爱 for family, romantic partners, or strong passions. 我爱你 (I love you) is a major step beyond 我喜欢你.
喜爱 is more formal/written and slightly stronger than 喜欢 — often used for hobbies, art, public preferences. In everyday speech, stick with 喜欢.
Don't confuse 喜欢 with
想 means 'want to / would like to' (intention): 我想吃饭 (I want to eat). 喜欢 means 'like in general' (preference): 我喜欢吃饭 (I like eating). Wrong word changes the meaning entirely.
要 means 'want / need' as a stronger demand. 我要咖啡 (I want coffee, ordering). 我喜欢咖啡 (I like coffee, general preference).