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虚心 (xū xīn) — humble and open-minded (especially in learning from others and accepting feedback)

Definition

虚心 focuses on being open to learning: actively listening to feedback and admitting mistakes. 谦虚 is broader self-effacement in manner; 谦逊 is the most formal. 卑微 and 低下 describe low status, not attitude.

adjective
humble and open-minded (especially in learning from others and accepting feedback)

Examples

  • 虚心，。
    Tā xué xí hěn xū xīn, jīng cháng wèn lǎo shī wèn tí.
    He is very humble in his studies and often asks the teacher questions.
  • 虚心，。
    Wǒ men yào bǎo chí xū xīn de tài dù, tīng qǔ bù tóng de yì jiàn.
    We must maintain an open-minded attitude and listen to different opinions.
  • 虚心。
    Zhǐ yǒu xū xīn de rén cái néng bú duàn jìn bù.
    Only a humble person can keep improving.

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.

虚xūempty
心xīnheart

虚 means empty or modest and 心 means heart or mind, giving the sense of an open, humble attitude.

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 虛; 虚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
丘丘qiūhill
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū虛xū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 虛 pairs the upper 虍, which gives the sound, with a lower part shaped like 丘, 'hill'; the simplified 虚 is a later shorthand.

Open 虚 →

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
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5

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