心肠

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Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

The word 心肠 (xīncháng) literally means "intestines of the heart," but it is used metaphorically to describe a person's disposition or kindness. It often refers to someone's nature, especially their kindness or cruelty.

Common Contexts

  • Describing kindness or compassion: 心肠 means having a kind heart.
  • Describing hardness or cruelty: 心肠 means having a hard or unkind heart.
  • Often used in everyday conversation to comment on someone's character or emotional sensitivity.

Collocations and Patterns

Usage Notes

When using 心肠, speakers imply a deep, emotional aspect of character rather than superficial behavior. It is more about innate kindness or cruelty. Avoid confusing 心肠 with 心情 (mood) or 性格 (personality), as 心肠 focuses on emotional warmth or hardness.

Summary

心肠 is a useful word to describe someone's emotional nature, especially their kindness or hardness. It appears frequently in spoken Chinese and is often paired with adjectives like , , or to express different shades of character.

Example Sentences

He is an old man with a kind heart who always helps his neighbors.

Don’t be fooled by his cold appearance; he actually has a soft heart.

She has a hard heart and is not easily moved.