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满心 (mǎn xīn) — (adverbial phrase) with one's heart full of (a feeling); wholeheartedly

Definition

Adverbial phrase meaning 'with one's heart full of' a feeling — modifies a verb or de-phrase to show strong emotion (满心欢喜, 满心期待). Equivalent to 一心 in meaning, but 满心 is the HSK 7 form.

noun
(adverbial phrase) with one's heart full of (a feeling)wholeheartedly

Examples

  • 满心。
    Tā mǎn xīn huān xǐ dì jiē guò le lǐ wù.
    He took the gift with a heart full of joy.
  • 满心。
    Hái zi men mǎn xīn qī dài dì děng zhe shèng dàn lǎo rén.
    The children waited for Santa Claus with eager anticipation.
  • 满心，。
    Tā mǎn xīn yí huò dì kàn zhe wǒ, bù zhī dào wǒ zài shuō shén me.
    She looked at me with a heart full of doubt, not knowing what I was talking about.

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.

满mǎnfull
心xīnheart

满心 combines 满 full and 心 heart, meaning the heart is filled with feeling.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 滿; 满 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒼
㒼㒼滿mǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 滿 pairs 水, showing water, with 㒼, giving the sound. The simplified 满 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

Open 满 →

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 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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