想开 (xiǎng kāi) — to come to terms with something, to let go of worries

Definition

想开 (xiǎng kāi) means to make peace with something bad that happened and stop dwelling on it — "to let go, to come to terms with it." Often used as advice (想开一点 'try to let it go').

verb
to come to terms with somethingto let go of worries

Examples

  • ，想开。
    Tā jīng lì le hěn duō kùn nan, xiàn zài zhōng yú xiǎng kāi le.
    He has been through many difficulties and has finally come to terms with them.
  • ，想开。
    Yù dào bù kāi xīn de shì, yào xiǎng kāi yì diǎn.
    When you encounter unhappy things, try to let them go a little.
  • 想开，。
    Tā xiǎng kāi le, bú zài wèi guò qù de shì qing nán guò.
    He has come to terms with things and no longer feels sad about the past.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

想xiǎngthink
开kāiopen

“想” (think) and “开” (open) suggest thinking something through until it opens up.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart, mind
Sound part声符shēngfú
相
相xiāng想xiǎng
Same sound today

想 has 心 (heart, mind) below 相 (to look at); the shape shows the mind looking at or considering something, and 相 also gives the sound.

Open 想 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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