兴高采烈

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: xìng gāo cǎi liè
• English Translation: In high spirits (jubilant and excited)
• Idiom Composition: 「兴」（Interest, mood, or excitement）＋「高」（High or elevated）＋「采」（Spirit, mental state, or facial expression）＋「烈」（Intense, vigorous, or strong）
• Meaning: A state of being extremely happy and excited, characterized by high spirits and vigorous energy. It is a complimentary or neutral term used to describe someone performing an action with great joy or being in a lively state.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「兴高采烈」 contains the following nuances:

• Elevated Mood: The term 兴 (xìng) refers to interest or mood. When it is 高 (gāo), or 'high,' it suggests an energy level much higher than just being 'happy'; it is a peak state of excitement.
• Visible Vitality: Because 采 (cǎi), meaning spirit or expression, is described as 烈 (liè), meaning 'intense,' the idiom implies that the joy is not just internal but is vividly expressed through one's face and demeanor.

3. Usage

「兴高采烈」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Participation in events or activities: The most common usage, describing the excitement and anticipation when joining festivals, trips, or parties.
  • Example:「孩子们兴高采烈地去公园参加春游。」
    （The children went to the park for their spring outing in high spirits.）
• Lively conversations or discussions: Describes a state where people are talking enthusiastically and the atmosphere is vibrant. Often used with the verb 谈论 (tán lùn), meaning 'to discuss'.
  • Example:「大家围坐在一起，兴高采烈地谈论着假期的计划。」
    （Everyone sat in a circle, jubilantly discussing their plans for the holidays.）
• Reaction to success or good news: Describes the proud or elated reaction one has after achieving a good result or receiving positive news.
  • Example:「听到获奖的消息，他兴高采烈地跑去告诉家人。」
    （Upon hearing the news of the award, he ran to tell his family with great excitement.）

Additional Examples:

1. 庆功宴上，所有人都喝得兴高采烈。
   （At the victory banquet, everyone was drinking in high spirits.）
2. 看着满桌的美味佳肴，客人们一个个兴高采烈。
   （Looking at the table full of delicious food, the guests were all delighted.）
3. 虽然旅途劳顿，但大家依然兴高采烈，毫无倦意。
   （Despite the exhaustion of the journey, everyone remained in high spirits and showed no signs of fatigue.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Evolution of Meaning: This idiom originally appeared in the Southern Dynasty book The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons (文心雕龙) by Liu Xie (刘勰). At that time, it was a literary critique term referring to a high-toned style and sharp expression. In modern Chinese, that original meaning is lost, and it is used exclusively to describe human emotion.
• Usage Frequency: It is a fundamental idiom for expressing 'joy' and is used extensively in both daily conversation and formal writing.
• Positive Connotation: It is generally used for positive events. If someone is acting 'overjoyed' in an arrogant or negative way (such as being happy about someone else's misfortune), a different idiom like 得意忘形 (dé yì wàng xíng) would be more appropriate.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 兴致勃勃 (xìng zhì bó bó): To be full of zest or enthusiasm for something.
  • 欢天喜地 (huān tiān xǐ dì): To be overjoyed (literally 'heaven and earth rejoicing').
  • 眉开眼笑 (méi kāi yǎn xiào): To beam with joy; to be all smiles.link
  • 喜出望外 (xǐ chū wàng wài): To be overjoyed by an unexpected good turn of events.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 无精打采 (wú jīng dǎ cǎi): To be listless, dispirited, or in low spirits.link
  • 愁眉苦脸 (chóu méi kǔ liǎn): To wear a worried or miserable expression; to look dejected.link
  • 垂头丧气 (chuí tóu sàng qì): To be dejected and dispirited.link

6. Summary

兴高采烈 (xìng gāo cǎi liè) is one of the most common Chinese idioms used to describe someone who is overflowing with joy and excitement. Whether it is participating in an event or engaging in a lively conversation, it conveys a sense of positive energy radiating outward. While it originated as a technical term in literary criticism, it is now used exclusively to describe emotional exuberance.