痛心

• Pinyin: tòng xīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 痛 = 疒 (illness) + 甬 — pain; 心 = heart

Meaning

Grieved; heartbroken; deeply distressed; anguished.

Describes intense emotional pain or sorrow, often in response to tragedy, loss, or regrettable situations. More formal and literary than 伤心. Frequently used in news reports and official statements.

Examples

1. 看到这么多珍贵文物被破坏，所有考古学家都痛心不已。 Seeing so many precious artifacts destroyed, all the archaeologists were deeply grieved.
2. 他对儿子的堕落感到无比痛心，却又无能为力。 He felt immense heartbreak over his son's moral decline, yet was powerless to help.
3. 令人痛心的是，这场事故本可以避免。 What's heartbreaking is that this accident could have been avoided.

Usage Guide

Context: news, tragedies, serious matters

Tone: sorrowful

Do Say

• 痛心疾首。(To be deeply grieved and angered.)
• 令人痛心。(Heartrending.)

Don't Say

• 用'痛心'形容日常小事 (Reserve 痛心 for serious matters — for minor disappointments, use 可惜 or 遗憾)

Origin & History

痛 means pain, 心 means heart — pain in the heart, grief.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal