倾诉

• Pinyin: qīng sù
• Hanzi breakdown: 倾 = 亻+ 顷 (pour/tilt); 诉 = 讠+ 斥 (to speak/to tell)

Meaning

To pour out one's heart; to confide one's innermost feelings, grievances, or troubles to someone in an emotionally frank and unrestrained way.

Implies an emotional outpouring rather than mere communication. Often used with 心声 (heartfelt thoughts), 苦衷 (inner difficulties), or 委屈 (grievances). Suggests both the need for emotional release and the trust placed in the listener.

Examples

1. 她终于找到一个可以倾诉心声的挚友，多年来积压的情绪得以释放。 She finally found a close friend she could open up to, and the emotions she had bottled up for years were released.
2. 在心理咨询室里，来访者可以自由地倾诉自己的困惑与痛苦。 In the counseling room, clients can freely pour out their confusion and pain.
3. 每当夜深人静，他总习惯对着日记本倾诉无处排解的思念之情。 Whenever the night is quiet, he tends to pour out the longing he can’t otherwise relieve into his journal.

Usage Guide

Context: emotions, relationships, counselling

Tone: emotive

Do Say

• 她向好友倾诉了多年来心中积压的委屈与不满。(She poured out to her close friend the grievances and resentment that had built up inside her for many years.)
• 允许自己倾诉痛苦是心理康复过程中不可或缺的重要一步。(Allowing oneself to pour out one's pain is an indispensable step in the psychological recovery process.)

Don't Say

• 他向老板倾诉了季度销售数据 — use 汇报 or 陈述 for reporting factual information; 倾诉 is reserved for emotional confiding, not professional reporting

Origin & History

倾 (tilt/pour) + 诉 (speak/tell) — to pour forth in speech

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal