心

• Pinyin: xīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 心 = pictograph of a human heart

Meaning

Heart; mind; core. The organ, or figuratively, one's thoughts, feelings, and intentions.

Extremely productive as a component in compound words. Physical: 心脏 (heart organ). Emotional: 开心 (happy), 伤心 (sad), 担心 (worry), 小心 (careful). Mental: 心理 (psychology), 用心 (attentive). Core: 中心 (centre), 核心 (core). Also a common radical in many characters.

Examples

1. 她的心很善良，总是帮助别人。 She has a kind heart and always helps others.
2. 你要用心学习，不能三心二意。 You need to study attentively and not be half-hearted.
3. 听到这个消息，他心里很高兴。 After hearing the news, he felt very happy inside.

Usage Guide

Context: emotion, everyday, philosophy

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你不要担心，一切都会好的。(Don't worry, everything will be fine.)
• 他做事很用心。(He puts his heart into everything he does.)

Don't Say

• 我的心生病了。(For a medical heart condition, say 心脏 not just 心. Saying 心生病了 sounds like emotional heartache rather than a physical problem.)

Origin & History

心 is a pictograph depicting the shape of a human heart with its chambers. It is one of the oldest Chinese characters and serves as a key radical in hundreds of emotion-related characters.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal