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痴心 (chī xīn) — (noun) infatuation; (adjective) infatuated, blindly devoted

Definition

痴心 names the state of being blindly devoted — used as a noun ('a heart of infatuation') or adjective. Closer in tone to 一心 ('wholeheartedly', often noble) than 痴迷 (which focuses on the obsession itself, usually a verb).

noun
infatuation
adjective
infatuatedblindly devoted

Examples

  • 痴心。
    Tā duì tā shì yí piàn chī xīn.
    He has a heart full of infatuation for her.
  • 痴心。
    Tā chī xīn dì děng dài le shí nián.
    She waited for ten years, infatuated.
  • 痴心。
    Nǐ bú yào tài chī xīn le.
    Don't be so infatuated.

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.

痴chīfoolish/devoted
心xīnheart

“痴” adds foolish devotion to “心”, giving the sense of blind infatuation.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 痴 →

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
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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