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处心积虑 (chǔ xīn jī lǜ) — to scheme and plan deliberately (often with negative connotation)

Definition

A strongly negative idiom meaning someone has plotted and schemed for a long time to reach a selfish goal. Implies persistence and hidden malice — closer to 'deliberately scheme' than neutral words like 计划.

idiom
to scheme and plan deliberately (often with negative connotation)

Examples

  • 。
    Tā chǔ xīn jī lǜ dì xiǎng yào duó qǔ gōng sī de kòng zhì quán.
    He schemed deliberately to seize control of the company.
  • 处心积虑。
    Zhè ge jì huà shì chǔ xīn jī lǜ duō nián de jié guǒ.
    This plan is the result of years of deliberate scheming.
  • 处心积虑，。
    Tā chǔ xīn jī lǜ dì shè xià quān tào, zhōng yú ràng duì shǒu shàng dàng.
    She deliberately set a trap and finally made her opponent fall for it.

Origin

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 處; 处 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
夂夂zhǐ
几几jǐtable
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū處chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 處 pairs 虍, giving the sound, with 夂 and 几, a table, as meaning parts. The simplified 处 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 处 →

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 積; 积 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
責
責zé積jī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 積 pairs 禾 (grain) with 責, which gives the sound; the simplified 积 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 积 →

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 慮; 虑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
思思sīto think
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū慮lǜ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 慮 puts 思 (think) with 虍, which gives the sound; the simplified 虑 is a later shorthand.

Open 虑 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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