qīnglài: 青睐 - To Favor, To Look Upon With Favor

• Keywords: qinglai, qīnglài, 青睐, Chinese word for favor, what does qinglai mean, how to use qinglai, to hold in high regard, to win approval, to be in good graces, Chinese HSK 6 vocabulary, formal Chinese
• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of the formal Chinese verb “青睐” (qīnglài), which translates to “to favor” or “to look upon with favor.” This comprehensive guide explores its cultural origins, modern usage in business and arts, and provides numerous example sentences. Discover why “qīnglài” is more than just “liking” something and how to use it correctly to express high regard and approval from a person or group of authority, such as a boss, critics, or the market.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qīnglài
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To look upon with favor; to hold in high regard; to win the approbation of.
• In a Nutshell: “青睐” is a formal and somewhat literary term used when someone or something receives positive attention, approval, or favor, especially from a person, group, or entity in a position of judgment (like a boss, an investor, a panel of critics, or the consumer market). It's much stronger and more formal than the everyday word “喜欢” (xǐhuān - to like). Think of it as “winning someone's approval” or “being in someone's good graces.”

• 青 (qīng): This character most commonly means blue or green. However, in classical Chinese, it could also refer to black. In the context of 青睐, it refers to the black part of the eye—the iris and pupil.
• 睐 (lài): A less common character meaning “to gaze at” or “to glance.” The radical 目 (mù) on the left clearly indicates it's related to the eye.
• The characters combine to literally mean “to look with the black of one's eyes.” This is an allusion to an ancient Chinese custom where looking at someone directly (showing the black pupils) was a sign of welcome and favor. This is in direct contrast to showing the whites of one's eyes (白眼 - báiyǎn), which signified contempt and disdain.

The term “青睐” is deeply rooted in a famous story about Ruan Ji (阮籍), one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove from the Three Kingdoms period. Ruan Ji was known for his unconventional behavior. It was said that when he met with conventional, pompous officials he despised, he would look at them with the “whites of his eyes” (以白眼对之 - yǐ báiyǎn duì zhī), showing his scorn. However, when his friend Ji Kang (嵇康) visited with wine and a zither, Ruan Ji was overjoyed and greeted him with the “blue/black of his eyes” (乃见青眼 - nǎi jiàn qīngyǎn), a sign of genuine respect and affection. This story created the powerful dichotomy between 青眼 (qīngyǎn) for favor and 白眼 (báiyǎn) for disdain. While 青眼 is rarely used now, 青睐 carries on this classical meaning. In a Western context, “qīnglài” is similar to concepts like “currying favor,” “gaining approval,” or “being in someone's good graces.” However, it lacks the often negative connotation of “currying favor.” It simply describes the *state* of being favored. It highlights a cultural appreciation for receiving recognition from those with experience, authority, or discerning taste. It reflects the value placed on the judgment of superiors, experts, and the collective (the market).

“青睐” is considered a formal, written, and sophisticated term. You will frequently encounter it in news articles, business reports, marketing materials, and literary reviews, but rarely in casual, spoken conversation.

• In Business and Career: It's often used to describe a company, product, or individual gaining favor from investors, consumers, or management. The structure “受到…的青睐” (shòudào… de qīnglài - to receive the favor of…) is extremely common here.
  • e.g., A startup receiving favor from venture capitalists.
  • e.g., An employee being highly regarded by their supervisor.
• In Arts and Entertainment: This is a very common context. It's used when a film, book, or artist wins the approval of critics or the public.
  • e.g., A new director's film is favored by the judges at a film festival.
  • e.g., A novel is well-received by readers.
• In Marketing: Marketers use this term to describe a product becoming popular with a certain demographic.
  • e.g., “This new skincare line is particularly favored by young consumers.”

• Example 1:
  • 他的创新设计方案得到了老板的青睐。
  • Pinyin: Tā de chuàngxīn shèjì fāng'àn dédào le lǎobǎn de qīnglài.
  • English: His innovative design proposal won the boss's favor.
  • Analysis: A classic example of a subordinate's work being approved by a superior. “得到…的青睐” (to get the favor of…) is a very common structure.
• Example 2:
  • 这款手机因其卓越的性能而备受消费者青睐。
  • Pinyin: Zhè kuǎn shǒujī yīn qí zhuóyuè de xìngnéng ér bèishòu xiāofèizhě qīnglài.
  • English: This mobile phone is highly favored by consumers due to its excellent performance.
  • Analysis: “备受青睐” (bèishòu qīnglài) is a set phrase meaning “to be extremely popular/favored.” Here, “the market” or “consumers” is the entity giving the favor.
• Example 3:
  • 作为一名年轻演员，她希望能获得更多导演的青睐。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yī míng niánqīng yǎnyuán, tā xīwàng néng huòdé gèngduō dǎoyǎn de qīnglài.
  • English: As a young actress, she hopes to gain the favor of more directors.
  • Analysis: This shows the aspirational use of the word. Gaining “青睐” from people in power (directors) is key to career success.
• Example 4:
  • 他们的商业模式受到了投资界的广泛青睐。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de shāngyè móshì shòudào le tóuzījiè de guǎngfàn qīnglài.
  • English: Their business model has received widespread favor from the investment community.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how an entire sector (“the investment community”) can be the source of “青睐”.
• Example 5:
  • 这位作家的最新小说并未获得评论界的青睐。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wèi zuòjiā de zuìxīn xiǎoshuō bìng wèi huòdé pínglùnjiè de qīnglài.
  • English: This author's latest novel did not win the favor of the critics.
  • Analysis: This example shows the term used in the negative, highlighting a lack of approval.
• Example 6:
  • 简约风格的家具越来越受到年轻人的青睐。
  • Pinyin: Jiǎnyuē fēnggé de jiājù yuèláiyuè shòudào niánqīngrén de qīnglài.
  • English: Minimalist-style furniture is increasingly favored by young people.
  • Analysis: Used here to describe a trend and the preferences of a demographic group.
• Example 7:
  • 他凭借出色的工作能力，很快就获得了上司的青睐。
  • Pinyin: Tā píngjiè chūsè de gōngzuò nénglì, hěn kuài jiù huòdé le shàngsī de qīnglài.
  • English: By virtue of his outstanding work ability, he quickly won his superior's high regard.
  • Analysis: Shows a clear cause-and-effect relationship. His ability led to the boss's favor.
• Example 8:
  • 为什么有些品牌能够一直深得市场的青睐？
  • Pinyin: Wèishéme yǒuxiē pǐnpái nénggòu yīzhí shēndé shìchǎng de qīnglài?
  • English: Why are some brands able to consistently win the deep favor of the market?
  • Analysis: “深得…青睐” (shēndé… qīnglài) means “to win the deep favor of…”. It's a stronger version.
• Example 9:
  • 这座历史悠久的城市尤其受到外国游客的青睐。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zuò lìshǐ yōujiǔ de chéngshì yóuqí shòudào wàiguó yóukè de qīnglài.
  • English: This historic city is particularly favored by foreign tourists.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates that the concept can apply to places and tourism as well.
• Example 10:
  • 在众多应聘者中，公司最终青睐了有海外工作经验的那一位。
  • Pinyin: Zài zhòngduō yìngpìnzhě zhōng, gōngsī zuìzhōng qīnglài le yǒu hǎiwài gōngzuò jīngyàn de nà yī wèi.
  • English: Among the many applicants, the company ultimately favored the one with overseas work experience.
  • Analysis: This is a rare example of using “青睐” as a more active verb, where the company is the subject directly performing the action of “favoring”. It has the meaning of “chose” or “preferred”.

• Don't use it for casual liking: This is the most common mistake. You cannot use 青睐 to say you like a friend, a food, or a movie in a casual conversation.
  • Incorrect: 我很青睐你。 (Wǒ hěn qīnglài nǐ.) - This sounds very strange and overly formal, almost like a king speaking to a subject.
  • Correct: 我很喜欢你。 (Wǒ hěn xǐhuān nǐ.) - “I like you a lot.”
• Passive structure is more common: While you can say “A 青睐 B” (A favors B), it is far more common to say “B 受到 A 的青睐” (B receives A's favor). The focus is usually on the person/thing *receiving* the approval, not the one giving it.
• It's not just “preference”: While it implies a preference, “青睐” is stronger than the English word “preference” or the Chinese word “偏爱 (piān'ài)”. “Preference” can be a simple choice (I prefer coffee to tea). “青睐” implies that the choice is based on a judgment of quality, merit, or value, and that the approval is significant.

• 赏识 (shǎngshí) - To appreciate or recognize the worth of someone (especially a junior or subordinate). Very similar, but `赏识` places more emphasis on recognizing talent or potential.
• 看重 (kànzhòng) - To regard as important; to value. This is about the importance or weight you assign to someone or something, which is a reason you might `青睐` them.
• 器重 (qìzhòng) - To think highly of a subordinate's abilities; to regard someone as capable. This is specifically used by a superior for a subordinate and is focused on their potential and capability for important tasks.
• 垂青 (chuíqīng) - A highly literary synonym. It literally means “to let one's gaze hang down,” implying favor from a person of very high status. Even more formal than `青睐`.
• 白眼 (báiyǎn) - The direct antonym. To look at with the whites of the eyes; to treat with disdain or contempt.
• 喜欢 (xǐhuān) - The common, everyday word for “to like.” Use this for friends, food, hobbies, etc.
• 偏爱 (piān'ài) - To prefer, to show favoritism. This implies a more subjective, personal preference rather than the formal, merit-based approval of `青睐`.