Chinese phrases

How to say congratulations in Chinese

Congratulations in Chinese is 恭喜 (gōng xǐ). Add 你 and the reason to make it personal: 恭喜你毕业, “congratulations on graduating.”

恭喜

gōng xǐ

congratulations

Ways to say congratulations

恭喜
gōng xǐ
Everyday
congratulations
For any good news: a new job, a wedding, a baby, a new flat. Short and warm.
恭喜你
gōng xǐ nǐ
Everyday
congratulations to you
Put what happened after it: 恭喜你毕业, 恭喜你升职了, “congratulations on the promotion.”
祝贺你
zhù hè nǐ
Formal
congratulations (a little formal)
From a teacher, a boss or at a ceremony, and in cards. On banners you see 热烈祝贺, “warm congratulations.”
恭喜恭喜
gōng xǐ gōng xǐ
Everyday
congratulations, congratulations!
Doubled and cheerful. You hear it at weddings and when people meet at New Year, sometimes with one hand cupped over the other fist.
太棒了
tài bàng le
With friends
that’s great!
Your first reaction to a friend’s news, often before 恭喜.

新婚快乐
xīn hūn kuài lè
happy wedding; best wishes to the newlyweds
The everyday wish to a newly married couple, in person or in a message.
百年好合
bǎi nián hǎo hé
a hundred years of happy union
A set wish for a long marriage. Common in wedding cards and on 红包, the red envelopes of money that guests give.

谢谢
xiè xie
thank you
Always right.
同喜同喜
tóng xǐ tóng xǐ
joy to you too
The set answer to 恭喜恭喜 at New Year and at weddings, where the good day belongs to everyone.
运气好而已
yùn qi hǎo ér yǐ
I was just lucky
Modest, for praise of something you achieved: an exam, a new job.

Using 恭喜发财 for any success
恭喜发财 is a New Year wish for wealth, not a general “congratulations.” For a new job or an exam, say 恭喜你.
Saying 恭喜 on a birthday
In some languages you congratulate someone on their birthday. In Chinese, 恭喜 is for something that happened or that someone achieved. On a birthday, say 生日快乐.

听说你升职了？
tīng shuō nǐ shēng zhí le
Qiqi: I heard you got promoted?
对，昨天刚知道。
duì, zuó tiān gāng zhī dào
Leon: Yes, I only found out yesterday.
恭喜恭喜！那你得请客了！
gōng xǐ gōng xǐ! nà nǐ děi qǐng kè le
Qiqi: Congratulations! Then dinner’s on you!
没问题！
méi wèn tí
Leon: No problem!