冷漠

• Pinyin: lěng mò
• Hanzi breakdown: 冷 = 冫(ice) + 令 (command); 漠 = 氵(water) + 莫 (no/none — vast emptiness)

Meaning

Indifferent; emotionally detached; aloof. Describes a sustained attitude of cold disinterest towards others.

Carries a stronger negative connotation than 淡漠 and describes a persistent emotional distance rather than a momentary lack of warmth. Often used in social critique — e.g., urban 冷漠 (city dwellers' indifference to strangers in need). Common in psychology, literature, and social commentary.

Examples

1. 现代都市人对陌生人的冷漠态度已成为一个广受批评的社会问题。 In modern cities, people’s indifference toward strangers has become a widely criticized social problem.
2. 她长期遭受父母的冷漠，性格变得敏感而内向。 After years of emotional neglect from her parents, she became sensitive and introverted.
3. 面对旁人的求助，他始终保持冷漠，选择视而不见。 When someone asked for help, he remained indifferent and chose to look the other way.

Usage Guide

Context: psychology, social critique, literature, relationships

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 对他人苦难的冷漠是现代社会最令人忧虑的道德危机之一。(Indifference to the suffering of others is one of the most troubling moral crises of modern society.)
• 长期受到冷漠对待的孩子往往难以建立健康的人际关系。(Children treated with persistent indifference often struggle to form healthy relationships.)

Don't Say

• 将冷漠与冷静混用 — 冷静是理性克制的正面状态，冷漠是对他人漠不关心的负面态度，两者截然不同

Origin & History

冷 (cold) + 漠 (desert — vast emptiness/indifference)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal