Definition
道喜 is a separable verb (离合词) meaning 'to congratulate someone on a happy occasion' such as a wedding, birth, promotion, or new house. The verb 道 and object 喜 can be split: you can insert a measure word or pronoun between them (e.g., 道个喜 'say a congratulation', 道一声喜 'say a word of congratulations'). Unlike 恭喜 (which is a general 'congratulations'), 道喜 emphasizes the act of going to someone to express congratulations face-to-face. It's often used in formal or festive contexts.
v.o.
to congratulate (on a happy occasion, esp. face-to-face)
Examples
- ，道喜。Tīngshuō nǐ érzi jiéhūn le, wǒ lái gěi nǐ dào xǐ.I heard your son got married — I've come to congratulate you.
- ，。Tā shēng le háizi, tóngshìmen fēnfēn shàngmén dào xǐ.After he had a baby, his colleagues came to his home one after another to congratulate him.
- ，。Péngyou shēngzhí le, wǒ děi qù dào ge xǐ.My friend got a promotion — I need to go and say a word of congratulations.
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