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心弦 (xīn xián) — heartstrings (figurative; one's innermost feelings)

Definition

Literary word for 'heartstrings' — the image is of a string on an instrument, used for the deepest feelings a person has. Almost always paired with verbs like 触动, 拨动, or 震撼.

noun
heartstrings (figurative; one's innermost feelings)

Examples

  • 心弦。
    Tā de gù shi chù dòng le wǒ de xīn xián.
    Her story touched my heartstrings.
  • 心弦。
    Zhè shǒu gāng qín qǔ bō dòng le wǒ de xīn xián.
    This piano piece plucked my heartstrings.
  • 心弦。
    Nà fēng xìn shēn shēn de zhèn hàn le wǒ de xīn xián.
    That letter deeply shook my heartstrings.

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.

心xīnheart
弦xiánstring

心 means heart and 弦 means string; together they picture inner feelings as strings.

Characters in this word

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōngbow
Sound part声符shēngfú
玄
玄xuán弦xián
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

弦 uses 弓 (bow) to show what it is about and 玄 to show how it is pronounced.

Open 弦 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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