热心

• Pinyin: rè xīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 热 = 执 (hold) + 灬 (fire) — warmth; 心 = a pictograph of the heart — the centre of feeling and compassion

Meaning

Warm-hearted; enthusiastic about helping others. Describes a person who is eager to offer assistance.

Used to describe someone who is naturally inclined to help others or who actively takes part in community or social activities. Often paired with nouns like 热心人 (warm-hearted person) or used in 热心帮助 (enthusiastically help). Carries a strongly positive connotation and is a valued personal quality in Chinese culture.

Examples

1. 她是一个热心的人，总是主动帮助邻居。 She is a warm-hearted person who always takes the initiative to help her neighbours.
2. 那位热心的老爷爷给迷路的游客指了路。 The kind elderly man gave directions to the lost tourists.
3. 他对公益活动非常热心，每个周末都去做志愿者。 He is very enthusiastic about public welfare activities and volunteers every weekend.

Usage Guide

Context: community, personality, everyday

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 他很热心，经常帮同事解决问题。(He is very warm-hearted and often helps colleagues solve problems.)
• 热心的邻居帮我们收了快递。(Our warm-hearted neighbour collected the delivery for us.)

Don't Say

• 他对赚钱很热心 meaning he is enthusiastic about making money (Don't use 热心 for self-interested pursuits — it implies selfless helpfulness; say 他对赚钱很积极 or 很热衷 instead)

Origin & History

A compound of 热 (hot, warm — suggesting emotional warmth) and 心 (heart), together meaning a warm heart — someone enthusiastic about helping others.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal