欣 xīn delighted
delighted; happy; joyous
How it came to be
An axe with the lack block beside it, a person with the mouth wide open. The axe gives the sound, the open mouth the feeling: laughter here, not a yawn.
How it is used
- Bound, literary-leaning morpheme for delight/joy; doesn't stand alone.
- 欣赏 xīnshǎng means "to appreciate" in the sense of recognizing value or beauty - used for art, scenery, music, or a person's talent/character, e.g. 我很欣赏他的态度 wǒ hěn xīnshǎng tā de tàidu, "I really admire his attitude".
- Distinguish 欣赏 (to appreciate/admire, recognizing quality) from plain 喜欢 xǐhuan (to like, general preference) - 欣赏 is more evaluative and slightly more formal.
- 欣慰 xīnwèi "gratified, relieved and pleased" is typically used when someone (often an elder) feels reassured by another's good result, e.g. a parent proud of a child's progress.