尊敬 meaning in English
to respect; to revere; to esteem; honorable; distinguished (used on formal occasions before a term of address)
Meaning of 尊敬
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to respect; to revere; to esteem
- honorable; distinguished (used on formal occasions before a term of address)
How to use 尊敬
尊敬 is used for respect toward people of higher status, age, or achievement, such as teachers, parents, or heroes. It also opens formal speeches and letters before a title. Example: 尊敬的各位来宾 (zūnjìng de gèwèi láibīn) Distinguished guests.
Both characters carry the idea of honor: 尊 (zūn) means honored or senior, and 敬 (jìng) means to respect. Put them together and you get deep, heartfelt respect for someone, like a student bowing to a teacher.
Common mistake: Learners often use 尊敬 where 尊重 (zūnzhòng) fits better. 尊重 is respect for rights, opinions, or choices, so say 尊重你的决定 (respect your decision), not 尊敬你的决定. Also keep the tones straight: first tone zūn, fourth tone jìng.
尊敬 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
尊 zūn · to honor · 12 strokes
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敬 jìng · respectful · 12 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 尊敬.
| 尊重 | zūnzhòng | to esteem; to respect |
| 尊严 | zūnyán | dignity; sanctity |
| 致敬 | zhìjìng | to salute; to pay one's respects to |
| 自尊 | zìzūn | self-respect; self-esteem |
| 敬礼 | jìnglǐ | to salute; salute |
| 敬意 | jìngyì | respect; esteem; high regard |
| 尊贵 | zūnguì | respected; respectable |
| 自尊心 | zìzūnxīn | self-respect; self-esteem |
| 敬佩 | jìngpèi | to esteem; to admire |
| 敬重 | jìngzhòng | to respect deeply; to revere |
| 敬酒 | jìngjiǔ | to toast; to propose a toast |
| 敬爱 | jìng'ài | to respect and love; to hold in high esteem |
Questions about 尊敬
What does 尊敬 mean?
尊敬 (zūnjìng) means "to respect; to revere; to esteem; honorable; distinguished (used on formal occasions before a term of address)" and is used as a verb and adjective.
How do you write 尊敬?
尊敬 is made of 2 characters: 尊 (12 strokes), 敬 (12 strokes). That is 24 strokes in total.
Is 尊敬 an HSK word?
Yes. 尊敬 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do I start a formal letter or speech with 尊敬?
Use 尊敬的 followed by a title or name, such as 尊敬的王老师 (zūnjìng de Wáng lǎoshī) Respected Teacher Wang. It is the standard formal opening, much like Dear in English but more polite.
Can 尊敬 be used for equals or younger people?
Usually not. 尊敬 suggests looking up to someone, so it is used for elders, superiors, or admired figures. For mutual respect between equals, 尊重 sounds more natural.