寒心 (hán xīn) — bitterly disappointed

Definition

An adjective for a deep, cold disappointment in someone or something once trusted or hoped for — stronger than a single setback, it carries a sense of giving up on the person. Often used as a predicate after 让 / 让人 or with 很.

adjective
bitterly disappointed

Examples

  • ，寒心。
    Tā duì wǒ shuō le nà yàng de huà, zhēn ràng rén hán xīn.
    He said such things to me — it's truly disappointing.
  • ，寒心。
    Hái zi bù zhēng qì, fù mǔ hěn hán xīn.
    The child doesn't live up to expectations, and the parents are bitterly disappointed.
  • ，寒心？
    Nǔ lì le zhè me jiǔ què méi yǒu jié guǒ, zěn néng bù hán xīn?
    After working so hard with no result, how could one not be bitterly disappointed?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

寒hánchill
心xīnheart

寒 as chill and 心 as heart: chilling the heart gives bitter disappointment.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 人人rénperson
  • 茻茻mǎnggrass

寒 shows 宀 (house), 人 (person), and 茻 (grass): a person sleeping in grass inside a house to keep out the cold.

Open 寒 →

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 →

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