促膝谈心 (cù xī tán xīn) — to have a heart-to-heart talk while sitting close together (typically between close friends)

Definition

A chengyu for an intimate, sincere conversation between close friends or family, literally 'sitting knee-to-knee and talking from the heart.' Conveys warmth and emotional depth that 聊天 or 谈话 lack.

idiom
to have a heart-to-heart talk while sitting close together (typically between close friends)

Examples

  • 促膝谈心，。
    Wǒ men jīng cháng zài shēn yè cù xī tán xīn, liáo dào wàng le shí jiān.
    We often have intimate heart-to-heart talks late into the night, chatting until we lose track of time.
  • ，促膝谈心，。
    Nà tiān wǎn shàng, liǎng gè rén cù xī tán xīn, cóng xiǎo shí hou liáo dào xiàn zài.
    That evening, the two of them sat knee to knee talking from the heart, chatting about everything from childhood to the present.
  • ，促膝谈心。
    Duō nián de hǎo péng you yí jiàn miàn, jiù huì zhǎo gè ān jìng de dì fāng cù xī tán xīn.
    Old friends who haven't seen each other for years always find a quiet spot to have a sincere, private talk.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

促膝sit close together
促cùpress/urge膝xīknees
动宾Verb + object
谈心talk heart-to-heart
谈tántalk心xīnheart
动宾Verb + object

“促膝” describes sitting close together, and “谈心” is the heart-to-heart talk.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
足
足zú促cù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

促 pairs 亻 (person, written 人 when complete) with 足, which helps show its sound.

Open 促 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat, body
Sound part声符shēngfú
桼
桼qī膝xī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 膝, ⺼ is the body form of 肉, marking a body part, and 桼 gives the sound.

Open 膝 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 談; 谈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
炎
炎yán談tán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 谈, the traditional form 談 pairs 言 (speech) with 炎 (yán) as the sound part.

Open 谈 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 心 comes from a drawing of a heart, now highly stylized.

Open 心 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.