心理

• Pinyin: xīn lǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 心 = pictograph of a heart — heart, mind, emotions; 理 = 王 (king/jade) + 里 (inside, phonetic) — reason, inner principles

Meaning

Psychology; mental state; mindset. Refers to the mental and emotional processes of the mind.

Used in two main ways: (1) as a field of study — 心理学 (psychology as a discipline); (2) to describe an individual's mental state or mindset — 心理状态 (psychological state), 心理压力 (psychological pressure). Growing mental health awareness in China has made this term increasingly common in everyday speech.

Examples

1. 运动员不仅要有体力，还要有良好的心理素质。 Athletes need not only physical strength but also good psychological resilience.
2. 这本书分析了消费者的购买心理。 This book analyses consumers' purchasing psychology.
3. 长期的工作压力对他的心理健康产生了影响。 Prolonged work pressure has had an impact on his mental health.

Usage Guide

Context: health, education, work

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 参加这类活动对提升孩子的心理健康很有帮助。(Participating in such activities is very helpful for improving children's mental health.)
• 她学的是心理学，毕业后想做心理咨询师。(She studied psychology and wants to become a counsellor after graduation.)

Don't Say

• 把心理和生理混淆。(Don't confuse 心理 (mental/psychological) with 生理 (physiological/physical) — they refer to different aspects of human functioning.)

Origin & History

Compound of 心 (heart/mind) and 理 (reason/inner workings), together meaning 'the inner workings of the mind.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal