留心

• Pinyin: liú xīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 留 = to keep, fix; 心 = heart, mind

Meaning

To pay attention to; to take note of; to be mindful of something. Implies deliberate observation or awareness.

Suggests an active, sustained form of attention rather than momentary alertness. Often used when encouraging someone to observe details, monitor a situation, or remain aware of something over time. Slightly more literary than 留神.

Examples

1. 研究人员在实验过程中必须留心记录每一个细节，以确保数据的准确性。 During the experiment, researchers must carefully record every detail to ensure the data is accurate.
2. 她从小就养成了留心观察周围事物的习惯，这让她成为了一名出色的记者。 Since she was young, she developed a habit of closely observing the world around her, which helped her become an outstanding journalist.
3. 教练提醒运动员在比赛中要留心对手的战术变化，及时做出应对调整。 The coach reminded the athletes to pay close attention to changes in the opponent’s tactics during the game and adjust in time.

Usage Guide

Context: observation, academic, professional

Tone: attentive

Do Say

• 平时要留心积累词汇，这对提高写作水平很有帮助。(Pay attention to accumulating vocabulary in daily life — it is very helpful for improving writing.)
• 他留心观察了好几天，终于发现了问题的根源所在。(He paid careful attention for several days and finally identified the root cause of the problem.)

Don't Say

• 把留心和注意当成完全相同的词 — 留心 implies sustained, deliberate observation over time, while 注意 is broader and can refer to momentary focus or a simple directive (留心 and 注意 overlap but are not identical — 留心 implies sustained mindful attention, while 注意 is broader)

Origin & History

留 (to keep, focus) + 心 (heart, mind) — to keep one's heart and mind focused on something.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal