欢/歡 huān — joyous, merry; to be pleased; vigorous, lively

Pinyin

• huān (first tone, high and level)

joyous, merry; to be pleased; vigorous, lively

Character breakdown

• 又shape partA simplification shorthand. The traditional 歡 has 雚 guàn on the left for the sound; 又 replaced it, as it did in 汉, 难 and 鸡.
• 欠meaning partno entry yetA kneeling person with the mouth thrown open — here not a yawn but a shout of pleasure.

Mnemonic

The open mouth 欠 on the right, with 又 standing in for the phonetic that simplification cut away. It rarely appears alone: 喜欢 to like, 欢迎 to welcome — literally to meet somebody with joy — 欢乐 merriment, 欢迎光临 the greeting printed on every shop door.

A memory aid written by HSK Guide editors. It is not an etymology and does not describe the historical origin of the character.

Words containing 欢

• 喜欢/喜歡xǐhuan (third tone, dipping)to like, to be fond of
• 欢迎/歡迎huānyíng (first tone, high and level)to welcome
• 欢乐/歡樂huān (first tone, high and level) lè (fourth tone, falling)gaiety
• 狂欢/狂歡kuáng (second tone, rising) huān (first tone, high and level)party
• 欢呼/歡呼huān (first tone, high and level) hū (first tone, high and level)to cheer for
• 欢快/歡快huān (first tone, high and level) kuài (fourth tone, falling)cheerful and lighthearted
• 狂欢节/狂歡節kuáng (second tone, rising) huān (first tone, high and level) jié (second tone, rising)carnival
• 欢声笑语/歡聲笑語huān (first tone, high and level) shēng (first tone, high and level) xiào (fourth tone, falling) yǔ (third tone, dipping)cheers and laughter
• 欢聚/歡聚huān (first tone, high and level) jù (fourth tone, falling)to get together socially
• 联欢/聯歡lián (second tone, rising) huān (first tone, high and level)have a get-together
• 悲欢离合/悲歡離合bēi (first tone, high and level) huān (first tone, high and level) lí (second tone, rising) hé (second tone, rising)joys and sorrows
• 讨人喜欢/討人喜歡tǎo (third tone, dipping) rén (second tone, rising) xǐ (third tone, dipping) huan (neutral tone)to attract people's affection