心愿

• Pinyin: xīn yuàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 心 = pictograph of the heart; 愿 = 原 (original) + 心 (heart), meaning wish or willing

Meaning

Wish; desire; aspiration. A heartfelt hope or dream.

Refers to sincere, often long-held wishes or dreams. More emotional and personal than 愿望. Common expressions: 实现心愿 (fulfill a wish), 了却心愿 (satisfy a long-held wish). Often used for significant life goals or deeply held desires.

Examples

1. 能看到女儿出嫁，是老人最大的心愿。 Seeing his daughter get married is the old man's greatest wish.
2. 他终于实现了环游世界的心愿。 He finally fulfilled his wish to travel around the world.
3. 爸爸一直有个心愿，就是回老家盖一栋房子。 Dad has always had a wish to go back to his hometown and build a house.

Usage Guide

Context: emotional, personal, aspirational

Tone: sincere

Do Say

• 这是我的心愿。(This is my wish.)
• 他完成了母亲的心愿。(He fulfilled his mother's wish.)

Don't Say

• 我的心愿是今天吃披萨 — 小事不用'心愿'，心愿用于重大的人生愿望

Origin & History

Compound of 心 (heart) + 愿 (wish, desire). Emphasizes that the wish comes from the heart.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal