Chinese word

情愿

Pronunciation

Pinyinqíng yuàn

Meaning

  • adverbbe willing to

Example

我情愿帮你去。wǒ qíng yuàn bāng nǐ qù

I am willing to go and help you.

Illustration for 情愿 (be willing to)

More examples

为了孩子的未来，他情愿牺牲自己的时间。wèi le hái zi de wèi lái tā qíng yuàn xī shēng zì jǐ de shí jiān

For the future of his children, he is willing to sacrifice his own time.

Core concept

An inner preference that makes someone readily accept one action or choose it instead of another.

Common phrases

  • 情愿牺牲qíng yuàn xī shēng

    be willing to sacrifice

  • 情愿接受qíng yuàn jiē shòu

    be willing to accept

  • 情愿承担责任qíng yuàn chéng dān zé rèn

    be willing to take responsibility

Similar words

愿意yuàn yì: Expresses readiness to agree to a request or undertake an action.
宁愿nìng yuàn: Expresses a firm choice to do something rather than accept an unwanted option.
乐意lè yì: Expresses a cheerful willingness to take part in an action.

Definition in Chinese

表示出于内心情感而主动接受或选择某事，倾向表示甘愿或宁可的态度，用于加强说话人的意愿，作副词。biǎo shì chū yú nèi xīn qíng gǎn ér zhǔ dòng jiē shòu huò xuǎn zé mǒu shì qīng xiàng biǎo shì gān yuàn huò nìng kě de tài dù yòng yú jiā qiáng shuō huà rén de yì yuàn zuò fù cí

Word origin

情 (qíng, "feeling") points to an inward response, while 愿 (yuàn, "wish") points to willingness, so the compound describes a feeling-based preference.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often treat willingness as a polite response, but this adverb commonly emphasizes the speaker's personal decision and can carry a clear preference between options.

Other meanings

  • readilyadverb
  • would ratheradverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 心甘情愿xīn gān qíng yuànbe perfectly willingidiom

Word lists with this word