心疼

• Pinyin: xīn téng
• Hanzi breakdown: 心 = heart; 疼 = 疒 (illness) + 冬 (winter), meaning to ache

Meaning

To feel sorry for; to love dearly; to feel heartache. A feeling of tenderness mixed with distress for someone.

Expresses both loving concern and emotional pain when seeing someone suffer or struggle. Can also mean to feel reluctant to spend money or see something wasted. Often used by parents about children, or between lovers. More emotional than 同情 (sympathy).

Examples

1. 看到孩子生病，妈妈特别心疼。 Seeing the child sick, the mother feels especially heartbroken.
2. 她太节俭了，花一点钱都心疼。 She is too frugal, she feels reluctant to spend even a little money.
3. 别心疼那点钱，该花就花。 Don't be stingy with that bit of money, spend what you need to spend.

Usage Guide

Context: emotions, family

Tone: affectionate

Do Say

• 奶奶最心疼孙子了。(Grandma loves her grandson most dearly.)
• 看你累成这样，我真心疼。(Seeing you so exhausted, I really feel for you.)

Don't Say

• 我心疼这本书 (Odd collocation — use 心疼 for people or money, not for liking objects)

Origin & History

Compound of 心 (heart) and 疼 (to ache, pain), literally meaning one's heart aches.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal