推心置腹 (tuī xīn zhì fù) — (idiom) to confide in someone completely; to treat with utmost sincerity

Definition

A chengyu meaning to speak or treat someone with complete, heartfelt sincerity — 'to open one's heart fully.' Used to describe deep, trusting exchanges, usually between close people.

idiom
to confide in someone completelyto treat with utmost sincerity

Examples

  • 推心置腹。
    Tā men liǎng gè rén tuī xīn zhì fù dì tán le yì zhěng yè.
    The two of them had a heart-to-heart talk that lasted the whole night.
  • 推心置腹，。
    Lǎo péng you zhī jiān kě yǐ tuī xīn zhì fù, hù xiāng xìn rèn.
    Old friends can confide completely in each other and trust one another.
  • 推心置腹，。
    Tā duì wǒ tuī xīn zhì fù, bǎ xīn lǐ huà dōu shuō le chū lái.
    He confided in me completely, speaking all his innermost thoughts.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

推心offer one's heart
推tuīpush心xīnheart
动宾Verb + object
置腹offer one's belly
置zhìplace腹fùbelly
动宾Verb + object

推心 and 置腹 both picture offering one's heart and belly, so the phrase means complete trust and sincerity.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
隹
隹zhuī推tuī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 扌 is a hand, and the right side 隹 gives the sound; the character shows pushing with the hand.

Open 推 →

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
罒Written in full as网wǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
直
直zhí置zhì
Same sound today

置 is built from 罒, a net, on top and 直 below; 直 gives the sound.

Open 置 →

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
肉肉ròumeat; flesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
复
复fù腹⁰fù
Same sound today

The left part 肉, meaning flesh, shows this is a body part, and the right part 复 gives the sound.

Open 腹 →

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