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戒心 (jiè xīn) — vigilance, wariness

Definition

A mental state of being on guard against trickery or harm — usually paired with the verb 存有, 怀有, or 缺乏. Translates best as 'wariness'; 警惕 is more active 'vigilance' against concrete threats.

noun
vigilancewariness

Examples

  • 戒心。
    Tā duì mò shēng rén zǒng shì cún yǒu jiè xīn.
    He always harbors wariness toward strangers.
  • 戒心，。
    Zài zhè ge dì fāng nǐ yào tí gāo jiè xīn, zhù yì ān quán.
    In this place, you need to increase your vigilance and pay attention to safety.
  • 戒心，。
    Tā yīn wèi quē fá jiè xīn, shàng le dāng.
    Because he lacked wariness, he was cheated.

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.

戒jièguard
心xīnmind

“戒” conveys guarding or wariness, and “心” the mind or heart, meaning a wary state of mind.

Characters in this word

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

  • 戈戈gēhalberd
  • 廾廾gǒnghands

戒 shows 廾 (hands) and 戈 (a halberd) together: hands holding up a weapon as a warning.

Open 戒 →

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
Emotions & Feelings

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