痴心

• Pinyin: chī xīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 痴 = 疒 (illness) + 知 (know) = infatuated; 心 = heart

Meaning

Infatuation; obsessive devotion; foolish passion. Deep but potentially unrealistic attachment.

Often used in romantic contexts for one-sided or overly devoted love. Can also describe devoted pursuit of any goal. Usually implies the devotion may be excessive or unrequited.

Examples

1. 她的痴心最终没有换来他的真心。 Her devoted love never won his true heart in the end.
2. 痴心妄想是不会成功的，还是要脚踏实地。 Wishful thinking won't succeed; you still need to be grounded in reality.
3. 他对这份感情付出了太多痴心，却始终得不到回应。 He devoted so much of his heart to this relationship but never got a response.

Usage Guide

Context: romance, devotion, unrequited love

Tone: melancholic

Do Say

• 她的痴心让人心疼。(Her devotion is heartbreaking.)
• 痴心父母古来多，孝顺儿孙谁见了？(Devoted parents have always been many, but who has seen filial children?)

Don't Say

• 我痴心工作 (痴心 is mainly for emotional devotion; for work dedication, use 专心 or 投入)

Origin & History

Compound of 痴 (infatuated/foolish) and 心 (heart). Describes a heart that is deeply, perhaps foolishly, devoted.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal