shòuhuānyíng: 受欢迎 - Popular, Well-received, Welcome
Quick Summary
Keywords: shou huanying, shouhuanying, 受欢迎, how to say popular in Chinese, welcome in Chinese, be well-received, liked by people in Chinese, popular person, popular product, HSK 4 Chinese word
Summary: Learn how to use “受欢迎” (shòu huānyíng), the essential Chinese term for being “popular” or “well-received.” This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural significance, and practical use for describing popular people, products, and ideas. Discover the difference between being popular (受欢迎) and being trendy (流行), and master its usage with 10+ practical example sentences.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): shòu huānyíng
Part of Speech: Verb Phrase (often used adjectivally)
HSK Level: HSK 4
Concise Definition: To receive a welcome; to be popular or well-received.
In a Nutshell: “受欢迎” literally means “to receive a welcome.” It's the go-to term for describing something or someone that is genuinely liked and accepted by a group. Think of a beloved teacher, a hit song that everyone sings along to, or a new phone that everyone wants. It carries a warm, positive feeling of being embraced by others.
Character Breakdown
受 (shòu): To receive, to accept, to get. This character indicates a passive action—something is being done to you.
欢 (huān): Happy, joyous, pleased.
迎 (yíng): To welcome, to greet.
When combined, 欢迎 (huānyíng) means “to welcome.” By adding the passive marker 受 (shòu) at the beginning, the meaning flips from giving a welcome to receiving one. Therefore, 受欢迎 (shòu huānyíng) is the state of “being welcomed” by others, which is the essence of being popular.
Cultural Context and Significance
In Western culture, “popularity” can sometimes have a connotation of being exclusive, clique-y, or being a superficial “influencer.” However, 受欢迎 in Chinese culture is almost universally positive and is closely tied to the concept of social harmony.
To be 受欢迎 means you are well-liked, respected, and easy to get along with. It suggests you contribute positively to the group dynamic, a highly valued trait in a collectivist society. It's less about being the loudest person in the room and more about having good 人缘 (rényuán), or interpersonal relationships. For a person, being 受欢迎 is a sign of social grace and emotional intelligence. For a product or idea, it means it has successfully met the needs and tastes of the community. It's the opposite of causing trouble or being disruptive; it's about being a welcome addition to any situation.
Practical Usage in Modern China
受欢迎 is a versatile and common term used in everyday life, from casual chats to news reports.
` ` `> e.g., a popular student, a beloved colleague, a respected public figure.`
` ` `> e.g., a best-selling book, a hit movie, a popular brand of soda.`
` ` `> e.g., a government policy that citizens support, a type of travel that is in vogue.`
It's a neutral term in terms of formality and can be used in almost any context. To use it as a descriptor, you typically place an adverb like 很 (hěn), 非常 (fēicháng), or 最 (zuì) before it.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
这位新老师在学生中很受欢迎。
Pinyin: Zhè wèi xīn lǎoshī zài xuéshēng zhōng hěn shòu huānyíng.
English: This new teacher is very popular among the students.
Analysis: A classic example of describing a person. Note the use of 很 (hěn) to modify 受欢迎.
Example 2:
这首歌今年特别受欢迎。
Pinyin: Zhè shǒu gē jīnnián tèbié shòu huānyíng.
English: This song is especially popular this year.
Analysis: Here, 特别 (tèbié), meaning “especially,” is used to intensify the degree of popularity.
Example 3:
他们的产品在年轻人当中非常受欢迎。
Pinyin: Tāmen de chǎnpǐn zài niánqīng rén dāngzhōng fēicháng shòu huānyíng.
English: Their products are extremely popular amongst young people.
Analysis: 在…当中 (zài…dāngzhōng) specifies the group (“among young people”) where the product is popular.
Example 4:
为什么他那么受欢迎？因为他总是帮助别人。
Pinyin: Wèishéme tā nàme shòu huānyíng? Yīnwèi tā zǒngshì bāngzhù biérén.
English: Why is he so popular? Because he always helps others.
Analysis: This sentence shows how to ask about popularity and provides a reason, linking it to positive actions.
Example 5:
这种简约的设计风格很受欢迎。
Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng jiǎnyuē de shèjì fēnggé hěn shòu huānyíng.
English: This kind of minimalist design style is very popular.
Analysis: Demonstrates that an abstract concept like a “design style” can also be 受欢迎.
Example 6:
他是一个很受欢迎的演员。
Pinyin: Tā shì yīgè hěn shòu huānyíng de yǎnyuán.
English: He is a very popular actor.
Analysis: Here, 受欢迎 is used as an adjective with 的 (de) to modify the noun 演员 (yǎnyuán).
Example 7:
这种观点不怎么受欢迎，很多人反对。
Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng guāndiǎn bù zěmme shòu huānyíng, hěn duō rén fǎnduì.
English: This viewpoint isn't very popular; many people oppose it.
Analysis: Shows the negative form using 不怎么 (bù zěmme), meaning “not very.”
Example 8:
火锅是中国最受欢迎的食物之一。
Pinyin: Huǒguō shì Zhōngguó zuì shòu huānyíng de shíwù zhī yī.
English: Hotpot is one of China's most popular foods.
Analysis: Uses 最 (zuì) for “most” to indicate the highest level of popularity.
Example 9:
共享单车一出现就受欢迎。
Pinyin: Gòngxiǎng dānchē yī chūxiàn jiù shòu huānyíng.
English: As soon as shared bikes appeared, they became popular.
Analysis: The structure 一…就… (yī…jiù…) means “as soon as… then…” showing an immediate reception.
Example 10:
一个人的性格决定了他是否受欢迎。
Pinyin: Yīgè rén de xìnggé juédìngle tā shìfǒu shòu huānyíng.
English: A person's character determines whether or not they are popular.
Analysis: 是否 (shìfǒu) means “whether or not,” creating a more formal and abstract sentence structure.
Example 11:
这项新政策受到了民众的普遍欢迎。
Pinyin: Zhè xiàng xīn zhèngcè shòudàole mínzhòng de pǔbiàn huānyíng.
English: This new policy received a widespread welcome from the public.
Analysis: This is a more formal variation. Note that 受 is part of the verb 受到了 (shòudàole), and 欢迎 (huānyíng) acts as the noun being received. The meaning is identical to 受…欢迎.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
A very common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 受欢迎 (shòu huānyíng) and 流行 (liúxíng).
受欢迎 (shòu huānyíng) - Popular / Well-liked: Refers to being liked by people. It's about acceptance and positive reception. It applies to people, products, ideas, etc.
流行 (liúxíng) - Trendy / Fashionable / Prevalent: Refers to something that is widespread or in fashion at a particular time. It's about a trend. It mainly applies to things like clothes, music, hairstyles, or even illnesses (like the flu, 流感).
Key Mistake: You cannot say a person is 流行. A person is liked, not trendy.
Incorrect: `这位老师很流行。` (Zhè wèi lǎoshī hěn liúxíng.) → This sounds like the teacher is a fashion trend.
Correct: `这位老师很受欢迎。` (Zhè wèi lǎoshī hěn shòu huānyíng.) → This teacher is very popular (well-liked).
A song can be both. It can be trendy (流行) and also well-liked (受欢迎). But a mean-spirited person could gain fame (有名气) without ever being 受欢迎.
流行 (liúxíng) - Trendy, fashionable. Use this for fads, styles, and music, but not for people.
热门 (rèmén) - Literally “hot door.” Refers to a hot topic, a product in high demand, or a popular choice. Very similar to
受欢迎 for things and topics.
人缘好 (rényuán hǎo) - “To have good relations with people.” A very close synonym when describing a person; it's the
reason someone is
受欢迎.
吃香 (chīxiāng) - Literally “to eat fragrance.” A colloquial term meaning to be in high demand or valued in a specific context (e.g., “Software engineers are very
吃香 right now.”).
欢迎 (huānyíng) - The root verb meaning “to welcome.”
受欢迎 is the passive form of this.
受冷落 (shòu lěngluò) - The direct antonym. It means “to receive the cold shoulder” or “to be snubbed/ignored.”
名气 (míngqi) - Fame or reputation. Someone can have a big
名气 (be famous) but not be
受欢迎 (be liked).
追捧 (zhuīpěng) - To chase after and praise; to lionize. This is a much stronger word, implying enthusiastic pursuit by fans or followers.