顾虑

• Pinyin: gù lǜ
• Hanzi breakdown: 顾 = 雇 + 页 (employ + head — to look back/consider); 虑 = 虍 + 思 (tiger stripes + think — to deliberate with caution)

Meaning

A concern, reservation, or worry that holds one back from acting; to have reservations or misgivings about something.

As a noun, 顾虑 refers to a specific concern that prevents decisive action. As a verb, it means to be held back by worries. Common in formal discussions about decision-making, policy implementation, and interpersonal communication where someone hesitates to act or speak freely.

Examples

1. 他心中有顾虑，始终不敢将真实想法如实告知上级。 He has misgivings and has never dared to tell his superiors what he really thinks.
2. 领导明确表示员工可以畅所欲言，无需有任何顾虑。 The leader made it clear that employees can speak freely without any reservations.
3. 消除公众对于新技术安全性的顾虑，是推广应用的首要任务。 Addressing the public’s concerns about the safety of new technology is the top priority for promoting its adoption.

Usage Guide

Context: decision-making, communication, policy, workplace

Tone: cautious

Do Say

• 如果你对这个方案有任何顾虑，请直接提出来，我们可以共同探讨解决方案。(If you have any reservations about this plan, please raise them directly so we can explore solutions together.)
• 在做出最终决定之前，她仔细权衡了各方面的顾虑，确保不留下任何隐患。(Before making the final decision, she carefully weighed all her concerns to ensure no hidden risks remained.)

Don't Say

• 我没有任何顾虑，但是…… — this self-contradictory opening erodes trust; state concerns directly rather than prefacing them with a denial

Origin & History

顾 (to look back/consider/worry about) + 虑 (to deliberate/worry)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal