Definition

1. Adjective / Stative Verb:
   • Honoured; to be honoured: A feeling of great pleasure and pride from being shown respect or from a fortunate opportunity. It expresses polite and formal delight in an encounter or situation.
   • Pleased; to be pleased: Used in formal contexts to convey respectful joy and a sense of privilege, often at the start or end of a social interaction.

Usage Examples

• Adjective / Stative Verb:
  • Rất hân hạnh được gặp ông. (It is a great honour to meet you, sir.)
  • Chúng tôi vô cùng hân hạnh đón tiếp quý vị. (We are extremely honoured to welcome you all.)
  • "Hân hạnh được biết bạn," cô ấy nói. ("Pleased to meet you," she said.)

Advanced Usage

• Used as a formal, polite formula in introductions, greetings, speeches, and written correspondence. It often precedes an infinitive verb (được + verb) to describe the honoured action.
• Can stand alone as a formal response.
  • "Cảm ơn ông đã đến." – "Hân hạnh của tôi." ("Thank you for coming." – "The honour is mine.")

Variants and Related Words

• Vinh hạnh (adj): A synonym with a very similar meaning of "honour" or "privilege," often considered slightly more literary or elevated.
  • Tôi lấy làm vinh hạnh. (I consider it a privilege.)

Synonyms

• Honoured: held in high esteem; feeling pride and pleasure.
• Pleased: feeling satisfaction, often in a polite context.
• Delighted: feeling great pleasure (slightly less formal than "hân hạnh").

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Hân hạnh được đón tiếp: Honoured to welcome/receive (guests).

  • Hân hạnh được đón tiếp ngài đại sứ. (Honoured to welcome the ambassador.)

• Lấy làm hân hạnh: To consider it an honour (a common introductory phrase).

  • Tôi lấy làm hân hạnh giới thiệu vị khách đặc biệt. (I consider it an honour to introduce our special guest.)

noun

1. honour; to be honoured