羡慕 warmly wishes you had something good too. 嫉妒 adds resentment at the person who has it.
Focus: 羡慕 vs 嫉妒
A friend gets good news and you wish that life for yourself too: that is 羡慕. It can be warm and generous—我好羡慕你—with no wish for the other person to lose anything.
嫉妒 is the sharper word. It names resentment toward someone because they have an advantage, success, or attention you lack. The deciding question is simple: are you admiring what they have, or are you bothered that they have it? 羡慕 lets you share the happiness; 嫉妒 puts friction between the two people.
Lian
你真的拿到那个 offer 了？
Nǐ zhēn de ná dào nàge offer le?
“Did you really get that offer?”
Rui
嗯，下个月入职。
Èn, xià ge yuè rùzhí.
“Yes, I start next month.”
Lian
太羡慕了，你终于不用天天加班了。
Tài xiànmù le, nǐ zhōngyú bú yòng tiāntiān jiābān le.
“I am so happy for you—I wish I could finally stop working overtime every day too.”
Rui
你不是也在投吗？
Nǐ bú shì yě zài tóu ma?
“Aren’t you applying too?”
Lian
在投，今天刚收到一封拒信。
Zài tóu, jīntiān gāng shōu dào yì fēng jùxìn.
“I am. I got a rejection today, actually.”
Rui
那我先不跟你晒了。
Nà wǒ xiān bù gēn nǐ shài le.
“Then I will stop showing off.”
Lian
别，我是羡慕，不是嫉妒。
Bié, wǒ shì xiànmù, bú shì jídù.
“Don’t. I am happy for you and want the same thing; I am not resentful.”
Lian is happy for Rui and wants the same escape from overtime, so 羡慕 fits. Her final line separates that wish from 嫉妒: Rui’s good news is not something she wants taken away.
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