Meaning of 心
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- heart
- mind
- intention
- center
- core
Measure word: 顆|颗,個|个
How to use 心
In Chinese, 心 covers both the physical heart and the mind or feelings, so it appears in many emotion words like 开心 (kāixīn) and 放心 (fàngxīn). It can also mean the center of something, as in 中心 (zhōngxīn). Example: 你放心吧，我会小心的。(Nǐ fàngxīn ba, wǒ huì xiǎoxīn de.) Don't worry, I will be careful.
心 (xīn) is a pictograph that is often explained as a drawing of a heart: the curved hook is the heart and the three dots are like drops or chambers around it. Picture a heart beating with three little pulses, and you have both the shape and the meaning.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 心 with 必 (bì, must), which adds a slanted stroke cutting through the middle. Also, 心 written on the left side of other characters becomes the narrow form 忄, as in 情 (qíng), so do not expect the full shape there.
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.
心 xīn · heart · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Related words
Words that share a character with 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 |
| 内心 | nèixīn | heart; innermost being; (math.) incenter |
| 决心 | juéxīn | determination; resolution |
Questions about 心
What does 心 mean?
心 (xīn) means "heart; mind" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 心?
心 is made of 1 character: 心 (4 strokes). That is 4 strokes in total.
Is 心 an HSK word?
Yes. 心 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
Does 心 mean heart or mind in Chinese?
Both. Traditional Chinese thought placed thinking and feeling in the heart, so 心 is used for emotions, intentions and the mind. Context tells you which sense fits.
What is the difference between 小心 and 关心?
小心 (xiǎoxīn) means to be careful or watch out, as in 小心车 (watch out for cars). 关心 (guānxīn) means to care about someone or something, as in 他很关心我 (he really cares about me).