yíngjiē: 迎接 - To Welcome, Greet, Meet, Receive

• Keywords: yingjie, 迎接, how to say welcome in Chinese, greet someone in Chinese, Chinese word for receive, meet a challenge in Chinese, Chinese culture of greeting, yingjie vs huanying, picking someone up in Chinese.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 迎接 (yíngjiē), which means 'to welcome' or 'to greet'. This comprehensive guide explains how to use 迎接 (yíngjiē) not just for physically greeting people (like at an airport), but also for metaphorically 'welcoming' new challenges, opportunities, or a new year. Discover the cultural significance of this active form of greeting, explore over 10 practical example sentences, and master the key difference between 迎接 (yíngjiē) and the more common word 欢迎 (huānyíng). This is a must-know term for any beginner aiming for more authentic and respectful communication in Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yíngjiē
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To go out and meet or receive someone or something; to welcome actively.
• In a Nutshell: 迎接 (yíngjiē) is an active welcome. It's not just saying “welcome” when someone is already at your door. It's the physical act of going towards them to greet them—like picking a friend up from the train station, standing at the entrance of a restaurant to greet an important guest, or a whole family waiting outside their home for relatives to arrive. Metaphorically, it means to face or embrace something new, like a challenge or a new era, with a proactive and prepared attitude.

• 迎 (yíng): This character means “to go out to meet” or “to welcome.” It contains the radical 辶 (chuò), which is associated with walking and movement. This visually represents the action of moving towards someone or something to greet them.
• 接 (jiē): This character means “to receive,” “to connect,” or “to meet.” It features the hand radical 扌(shǒu) on the left, indicating an action done with the hands. It suggests receiving or making contact.
• Together, 迎接 (yíngjiē) paints a vivid picture: “to move towards (迎) in order to receive (接).” This combination emphasizes a dynamic, intentional, and often physical act of welcoming.

In Chinese culture, the act of 迎接 (yíngjiē) is more than just a polite gesture; it's a significant social ritual that demonstrates respect, hospitality (好客 hàokè), and the importance you place on your guest. By making the effort to go out and meet someone, the host shows that the guest is highly valued and gives them “face” (面子 miànzi). Compared to Western culture, the act of 迎接 is often more formal and expected in a wider range of situations. In the U.S., you might pick up very close family from the airport, but it's less common for a business associate or a new colleague. In China, however, it is standard practice for a company to send someone to the airport to 迎接 an important client or visiting partner. It establishes a warm and respectful foundation for the relationship (关系 guānxi) from the very first moment. This act embodies the principle that one should go out of their way to make a guest feel honored and comfortable.

迎接 is a versatile word used in both literal and figurative contexts.

• 1. Greeting People (Literal): This is the most common usage. It refers to the physical act of going somewhere to meet and welcome a person or group.
  • At an airport or train station to pick someone up.
  • At the entrance of a building, office, or restaurant to greet arriving guests.
  • A formal welcome for a delegation or VIP.
• 2. Welcoming Abstract Concepts (Figurative): This usage is very common in writing, news, and formal speeches. It means to face, embrace, or usher in something new, often with a positive and proactive mindset.
  • 迎接挑战 (yíngjiē tiǎozhàn): to meet/face a challenge
  • 迎接新年 (yíngjiē xīnnián): to welcome the New Year
  • 迎接未来 (yíngjiē wèilái): to embrace the future
  • 迎接新生命 (yíngjiē xīn shēngmìng): to welcome a new life (a baby)

The tone of 迎接 is generally formal and carries a sense of importance and ceremony. In casual conversation about picking up a friend, you might simply use 接 (jiē), but using 迎接 elevates the act.

• Example 1:
  • 我们要去机场迎接从美国来的朋友。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen yào qù jīchǎng yíngjiē cóng Měiguó lái de péngyou.
  • English: We are going to the airport to welcome our friends from America.
  • Analysis: A classic, literal use of 迎接. The action is “going to the airport to greet them.”
• Example 2:
  • 全公司都在门口迎接重要客户的到来。
  • Pinyin: Quán gōngsī dōu zài ménkǒu yíngjiē zhòngyào kèhù de dàolái.
  • English: The entire company was at the entrance to welcome the important client's arrival.
  • Analysis: This highlights the formality and respect involved. It's a collective, ceremonial act of greeting.
• Example 3:
  • 让我们一起迎接新年的钟声！
  • Pinyin: Ràng wǒmen yīqǐ yíngjiē xīnnián de zhōngshēng!
  • English: Let's welcome the bells of the New Year together!
  • Analysis: A common figurative use. You can't physically “meet” a bell's sound, but you can mentally and emotionally prepare to welcome it.
• Example 4:
  • 作为一个团队，我们必须准备好迎接任何挑战。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yīgè tuánduì, wǒmen bìxū zhǔnbèi hǎo yíngjiē rènhé tiǎozhàn.
  • English: As a team, we must be prepared to meet any challenge.
  • Analysis: This is a very common and motivational phrase in business and personal development contexts. It means to face challenges head-on.
• Example 5:
  • 这对夫妻正在兴奋地迎接他们第一个孩子的出生。
  • Pinyin: Zhè duì fūqī zhèngzài xīngfèn de yíngjiē tāmen dì yī gè háizi de chūshēng.
  • English: This couple is excitedly welcoming the birth of their first child.
  • Analysis: A warm, emotional, and figurative use. They are preparing for and embracing the arrival of a new life.
• Example 6:
  • 为了迎接奥运会，这个城市修建了很多新场馆。
  • Pinyin: Wèile yíngjiē Àoyùnhuì, zhège chéngshì xiūjiànle hěnduō xīn chǎngguǎn.
  • English: In order to welcome the Olympic Games, the city built many new venues.
  • Analysis: Shows how a large entity (a city) can “welcome” an event through preparation and action.
• Example 7:
  • 他站在山顶，迎接清晨的第一缕阳光。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhàn zài shāndǐng, yíngjiē qīngchén de dì yī lǚ yángguāng.
  • English: He stood on the mountaintop, welcoming the first ray of morning sun.
  • Analysis: A poetic and descriptive use. It implies an appreciative and receptive posture towards nature.
• Example 8:
  • 昨天没有人来车站迎接他，他感到有点失落。
  • Pinyin: Zuótiān méiyǒu rén lái chēzhàn yíngjiē tā, tā gǎndào yǒudiǎn shīluò.
  • English: No one came to the station to welcome him yesterday, and he felt a bit disappointed.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows the emotional weight of the act. The absence of a 迎接 can imply a lack of care or importance.
• Example 9:
  • 我们已经为新学期的开始做好了准备，迎接同学们的归来。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen yǐjīng wèi xīn xuéqī de kāishǐ zuòhǎo le zhǔnbèi, yíngjiē tóngxuémen de guīlái.
  • English: We have already prepared for the start of the new semester to welcome the students' return.
  • Analysis: Used in an institutional context (a school). It implies readiness and a formal welcome.
• Example 10:
  • 中国正张开双臂，迎接一个全球化的新时代。
  • Pinyin: Zhōngguó zhèng zhāngkāi shuāngbì, yíngjiē yīgè quánqiúhuà de xīn shídài.
  • English: China is opening its arms to welcome a new era of globalization.
  • Analysis: A highly figurative and formal use, common in political or economic discourse. It conveys a sense of optimism and proactivity on a national scale.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 迎接 (yíngjiē) and 欢迎 (huānyíng). They both translate to “welcome,” but they are not interchangeable.

• 迎接 (yíngjiē) is an ACTION. It's a verb of motion. It's the act of going out to meet someone.
  • Correct: 我要去机场迎接你。 (Wǒ yào qù jīchǎng yíngjiē nǐ.) - I'm going to the airport to meet/welcome you.
  • Incorrect: 我要去机场欢迎你。
• 欢迎 (huānyíng) is a GREETING or a STATE. It's what you say when someone arrives, or the general feeling of being welcome.
  • Correct: 欢迎来到我家！ (Huānyíng lái dào wǒ jiā!) - Welcome to my home!
  • Incorrect: 迎接来到我家！

Think of it this way: You 迎接 (yíngjiē) your friend at the station, and when they get in your car, you say, “欢迎 (huānyíng)!” Another common point: 迎接 (yíngjiē) vs. 接 (jiē)

• 接 (jiē) on its own can also mean “to pick someone up” (e.g., 我去接你 - I'll go pick you up). It is more casual and common in daily conversation.
• 迎接 (yíngjiē) adds a layer of formality, respect, and ceremony to the act. You might 接 your roommate, but you would 迎接 your professor or your grandparents whom you haven't seen in ten years.

• 欢迎 (huānyíng) - The verbal greeting “Welcome!” or the state of being welcome. It's the result of a successful 迎接.
• 接待 (jiēdài) - To receive or entertain guests. This covers the entire process of hosting, not just the initial greeting.
• 接风 (jiēfēng) - Literally “receive the wind.” A cultural practice of holding a special meal to welcome a visitor who has traveled a long way.
• 迎接挑战 (yíngjiē tiǎozhàn) - A very common set phrase meaning “to meet/face a challenge.”
• 送别 (sòngbié) - The antonym of 迎接. It means to see someone off, to say farewell.
• 好客 (hàokè) - Hospitable. The cultural value that underlies the act of 迎接.
• 宾至如归 (bīn zhì rú guī) - An idiom meaning “to make a guest feel at home.” This is the ultimate goal of good hospitality.
• 见面 (jiànmiàn) - To meet up, to see each other. A neutral term for meeting someone, without the welcoming connotation.