Meaning of 内心
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- heart; innermost being
- (math.) incenter
How to use 内心
内心 is a noun for a person's inner world, often used with 深处 (shēnchù, depths) or before another noun with 的. It sounds a bit more serious and reflective than everyday words like 心情. Example: 我内心很感动。(Wǒ nèixīn hěn gǎndòng.) I was deeply moved inside.
内 (nèi) means inside, and 心 (xīn) means heart. Put them together and you get the inside of your heart, your innermost feelings.
Common mistake: Learners often write 内 like 肉 (ròu, meat) or confuse it with 纳 (nà). 内 has only one 人 inside the frame. Also, 内心 is a noun, so do not use it as a verb the way you would use 关心 (guānxīn, to care about).
内心 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
内 nèi · inside · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
心 xīn · heart · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Related words
Words that share a character with 内心.
| 小心 | xiǎoxīn | to be careful; to take care |
| 开心 | kāixīn | to feel happy; to rejoice |
| 关心 | guānxīn | to be concerned about; to care about |
| 中心 | zhōngxīn | center; heart; core |
| 放心 | fàngxīn | to feel relieved; to feel reassured |
| 心情 | xīnqíng | mood; frame of mind |
| 心里 | xīnlǐ | chest; heart; mind |
| 心中 | xīnzhōng | central point; in one's thoughts |
| 信心 | xìnxīn | confidence; faith (in sb or sth) |
| 伤心 | shāngxīn | to grieve; to be broken-hearted |
| 内容 | nèiróng | content; substance; details |
| 国内 | guó nèi | domestic; internal (to a country) |
Questions about 内心
What does 内心 mean?
内心 (nèixīn) means "heart; innermost being; (math.) incenter" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 内心?
内心 is made of 2 characters: 内 (4 strokes), 心 (4 strokes). That is 8 strokes in total.
Is 内心 an HSK word?
Yes. 内心 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 内心 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 内心 is written 內心.
What is the difference between 内心 and 心里?
Both refer to what is inside your mind or heart. 心里 (xīnli) is more casual and common in speech, as in 我心里很高兴. 内心 is more formal and suggests deeper, more hidden feelings.
How do you say 'deep down' or 'from the bottom of my heart' with 内心?
Use 内心深处 (nèixīn shēnchù) for 'deep down inside,' as in 在我内心深处. For 'sincerely from the heart,' you can say 发自内心 (fāzì nèixīn).