核心

• Pinyin: hé xīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 核 = 木 (wood) + 亥 (phonetic), meaning kernel or nucleus; 心 = pictograph of heart

Meaning

Core; nucleus; heart. The central and most important part of something.

Used for physical centers (atomic nucleus), organizational leadership, key concepts, and essential elements. Common collocations: 核心技术 (core technology), 核心价值观 (core values), 核心竞争力 (core competitiveness), 核心成员 (core member).

Examples

1. 掌握核心技术是企业保持竞争力的关键。 Mastering core technology is the key for businesses to maintain competitiveness.
2. 他是这个项目的核心人物，很多重要决策都由他做出。 He is the central figure in this project, with many important decisions made by him.
3. 诚信是我们公司的核心价值观，任何情况下都不能动摇。 Integrity is our company's core value, which must not waver under any circumstances.

Usage Guide

Context: business, technology, politics

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 这是问题的核心所在。(This is the core of the problem.)
• 我们的核心团队很稳定。(Our core team is very stable.)

Don't Say

• 用核心形容边缘事物 (Don't use 核心 for peripheral things — it specifically means the central, essential part)

Origin & History

Compound of 核 (nucleus, seed) + 心 (heart, center). Originally from physics (atomic nucleus), extended to mean any central element.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal