心胸

• Pinyin: xīn xiōng
• Hanzi breakdown: 心 = heart (pictograph); 胸 = 月 + 匈 (chest cavity)

Meaning

Breadth of mind; magnanimity; ambition and vision. A person's capacity for open-mindedness, generosity, or lofty aspiration.

Often used to assess character: 心胸宽广 (broad-minded) vs 心胸狭窄 (narrow-minded). Also describes aspirations and vision in formal contexts.

Examples

1. 一位真正的领导者必须具备宽广的心胸，能够接纳不同的意见。 A true leader must have a broad mind and be able to accept different opinions.
2. 这位艺术家的作品展现了非凡的心胸与格局。 This artist’s work shows extraordinary breadth of mind and vision.
3. 他心胸狭窄，无法容忍他人的批评，因此在团队中难以立足。 He’s narrow-minded and can’t tolerate criticism, so it’s hard for him to gain a foothold on the team.

Usage Guide

Context: character assessment, leadership, literature

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 能在竞争如此激烈的环境中保持宽广心胸、不计前嫌，实属难得。(It is truly rare to maintain broad-mindedness and bear no grudges in such a fiercely competitive environment.)
• 导师希望学生们不仅在专业上精益求精，更要培养开阔的心胸与长远的眼光。(The mentor hoped that the students would not only pursue excellence in their discipline but also cultivate an open mind and long-term vision.)

Don't Say

• 他的心胸很大 — while understandable colloquially, prefer 心胸宽广 or 胸怀宽广 in formal writing

Origin & History

心 (heart/mind) + 胸 (chest/breast) — the chest as the seat of the mind and spirit

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal