内心

• Pinyin: nèi xīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 内 = 冂 (enclosure) + 入 (enter), meaning inside; 心 = pictograph of a heart, meaning heart or mind

Meaning

Inner heart; innermost feelings. One's true thoughts and emotions deep inside.

Refers to a person's private emotional world — what they truly think or feel beneath the surface. Common in literary, emotional, and psychological contexts. Often contrasted with outward behaviour: 他表面很平静，内心却很紧张 (He looks calm on the surface but is nervous inside). More literary than 心里.

Examples

1. 他表面上很开心，但内心其实很难过。 He looks happy on the surface, but deep down he is actually very sad.
2. 她在内心深处一直想回家乡。 Deep in her heart, she has always wanted to return to her hometown.
3. 我们应该倾听自己内心的声音。 We should listen to the voice of our own heart.

Usage Guide

Context: emotions, literature, psychology

Tone: reflective

Do Say

• 她的内心非常强大。(She is very strong on the inside.)
• 内心的想法不一定要说出来。(Inner thoughts don't always need to be spoken aloud.)

Don't Say

• 我内心饿了。(Don't use 内心 for physical sensations — it refers to emotions and thoughts, not bodily feelings. Say 我饿了.)

Origin & History

内 means inner or inside; 心 means heart or mind. Together they mean the inside of the heart — one's deepest feelings.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal