‘嘉奖’ is a formal verb meaning ‘to commend’ or ‘to award’—typically for outstanding performance, moral conduct, or heroic action. The first character 嘉 (jiā) means ‘excellent,’ ‘auspicious,’ or ‘praiseworthy,’ while 奖 (jiǎng) means ‘award’ or ‘prize.’ Together, they form a compound expressing official or institutional recognition, often accompanied by a certificate, medal, bonus, or public announcement. It carries positive emotional weight and implies respect and approval.

This term is commonly used in government, military, education, and corporate settings—for example, when honoring employees, students, or citizens for exceptional contributions. Unlike casual praise (e.g., 表扬), 嘉奖 suggests a structured, authoritative act of recognition. It rarely appears in informal speech and is seldom used reflexively or with indefinite subjects—it usually takes a clear agent (e.g., the school, the company) and a specific recipient.