获悉 is a formal verb meaning 'to learn (news)' or 'to be informed (of something)'. It combines two characters: 获 (huò), meaning 'to obtain' or 'to gain', and 悉 (xī), meaning 'to know thoroughly' or 'to be fully aware of'. Together, they convey the idea of gaining full awareness or receiving definite information—often official, important, or previously unknown news. The word implies that the information has been reliably communicated, not merely guessed or overheard.

获悉 is commonly used in written Chinese, official announcements, news reports, and formal speech. It frequently appears with clauses introduced by 'that' (e.g., 获悉他已抵达北京), or with nouns like '消息' (news), '喜讯' (good news), or '噩耗' (bad news). It is rarely used in casual conversation—native speakers typically choose simpler verbs like 知道 or 听说 in everyday contexts. The subject is often an organization, authority, or a person in a professional setting.