情感

• Pinyin: qíng gǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 情 = 忄(heart) + 青 (green/young, phonetic), meaning feelings; 感 = 咸 (all, phonetic) + 心 (heart), meaning to feel

Meaning

Emotion; feeling; sentiment. Refers to deep inner feelings and emotional experiences.

A more literary and deeper word than 感情. While 感情 is used broadly (including for relationships), 情感 tends to refer to the inner emotional world — emotional depth, emotional expression in art, or psychological feelings. Common in literature, psychology, and discussions about personal growth.

Examples

1. 这首歌表达了作者对家乡的深厚情感。 This song expresses the author's deep feelings for their hometown.
2. 孩子的情感发展需要父母的关注。 Children's emotional development needs their parents' attention.
3. 他是一个情感很丰富的人。 He is a person with very rich emotions.

Usage Guide

Context: psychology, art, literature, personal growth

Tone: reflective

Do Say

• 这部电影充满了真挚的情感。(This film is full of sincere emotion.)
• 我们要学会表达自己的情感。(We should learn to express our emotions.)

Don't Say

• 我和他有情感。(Don't use 情感 alone to mean 'we are in a relationship' — that's 感情. 情感 refers to the emotional dimension, not a romantic relationship.)

Origin & History

情 means feeling or emotion (heart radical 忄 + 青 green/young); 感 means to sense or feel (咸 all + 心 heart). Together they describe the full spectrum of inner feelings.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal