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热心肠 (rè xīn cháng) — warm-heartedness (abstract quality); (colloquial) a warm-hearted, sympathetic, and helpful person

Definition

A noun that names the quality of being warm-hearted and eager to help. As in 热心肠儿, it can also colloquially refer to such a person.

noun
warm-heartedness (abstract quality)(colloquial) a warm-heartedsympatheticand helpful person

Examples

  • 热心肠。
    Tā zhēn shì yí gè rè xīn cháng.
    He is really a warm-hearted person.
  • 热心肠。
    Tā de rè xīn cháng ràng rén gǎn dòng.
    Her warm-heartedness touches people.
  • 热心肠，。
    Xiàng tā zhè yàng de rè xīn cháng, nǐ zǒng néng yī kào.
    With a warm-hearted person like him, you can always rely on him.

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.

热rèwarm
心肠disposition
心xīnheart肠chángintestines
联合Coordinate

热 gives warmth and 心肠 gives heart and guts: a warm disposition.

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 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì熱rè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

Open 热 →

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 →

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 腸; 肠 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròubody
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng腸cháng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 腸 pairs 肉, the body, with 昜, which gives the sound; the simplified 肠 is a later shorthand.

Open 肠 →
Appears in
Personality & Traits

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