Chinese word

恭敬

Pronunciation

Pinyingōng jìng

Meaning

  • adjectiverespectful

Example

学生们都对老师很恭敬。xué shēng men dōu duì lǎo shī hěn gōng jìng

All the students are very respectful toward their teacher.

Illustration for 恭敬 (respectful)

More examples

见到老师要表现得很恭敬。jiàn dào lǎo shī yào biǎo xiàn de hěn gōng jìng

When you meet your teacher, you should behave very respectfully.

Core concept

Respect held inwardly and shown outwardly through humble words, careful manners, and deferential conduct.

Common phrases

  • 对长辈很恭敬duì zhǎng bèi hěn gōng jìng

    very respectful toward elders

  • 以恭敬的态度yǐ gōng jìng de tài dù

    with a respectful attitude

  • 表现得很恭敬biǎo xiàn de hěn gōng jìng

    behave very respectfully

Similar words

尊敬zūn jìng: Having and showing admiration for someone's character, ability, or achievements.
尊重zūn zhòng: Giving careful consideration to another person's views, position, or rights.
客气kè qì: Being polite and well-mannered in speech and social behavior.

Definition in Chinese

对他人怀有尊重的心，通过言行保持礼貌和谦逊，表现出敬意。duì tā rén huái yǒu zūn zhòng de xīn tōng guò yán xíng bǎo chí lǐ mào hé qiān xùn biǎo xiàn chū jìng yì

Word origin

恭 (gōng, "deferential") + 敬 (jìng, "to respect") combines modest conduct with regard for another person.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this adjective often sounds formal or bookish, so simpler wording is common when describing ordinary social behavior.

Other meanings

  • politeadjective
  • show respectverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 恭敬地gōng jìng dìrespectfullyadverb

Word lists with this word