Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== yòngxīn: 用心 - Attentive, Conscientious, Diligent ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** yongxin meaning, what does yongxin mean, how to use yongxin, Chinese word for diligent, attentive in Chinese, yòngxīn, 用心, conscientious, with heart, thoughtful, Chinese work ethic, sincerity in Chinese. * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of **用心 (yòngxīn)**, a fundamental Chinese term that goes beyond "careful" or "diligent." Learn how **用心 (yòngxīn)** describes the act of putting your heart and mind into a task, reflecting a deep cultural value of sincerity, thoughtfulness, and conscientious effort. This guide will show you how to use it to praise someone's work, describe a thoughtful gift, or express the importance of genuine engagement in modern China. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** yòngxīn * **Part of Speech:** Adjective / Adverb * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 * **Concise Definition:** To do something with attentiveness, care, and diligence; to be conscientious and thoughtful. * **In a Nutshell:** **用心 (yòngxīn)** literally means "to use your heart." It describes a quality of effort that is not just hardworking, but also deeply engaged, sincere, and thoughtful. It’s the difference between simply completing a task and crafting it with personal investment and care. When you do something **用心**, you pour your mental and emotional energy into it to achieve the best possible result. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **用 (yòng):** This character means "to use" or "to apply." It's one of the most common and practical characters in Chinese. * **心 (xīn):** This character means "heart," and by extension, "mind" or "center." Its ancient form is a pictogram of a human heart. * When combined, **用心 (yòngxīn)** creates a vivid and intuitive meaning: "to use one's heart/mind." This beautiful construction perfectly captures the essence of performing an action with full, sincere concentration and emotional investment. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * **用心 (yòngxīn)** is a highly valued attribute in Chinese culture, reflecting a deep-seated belief in the importance of sincerity (诚意, chéngyì) and a proper attitude. The quality of one's work is seen as a direct reflection of one's character. Simply working hard (努力, nǔlì) is good, but working **用心** is better, as it implies a level of respect for the task, the recipient, and oneself. * A useful Western comparison is the concept of "conscientiousness" or "thoughtfulness," but **用心** is more personal and heartfelt. For example, in American culture, giving a gift card might be seen as practical and efficient. In Chinese culture, a gift that shows you spent time and effort thinking specifically about the person—a gift chosen **用心**—is often far more appreciated, regardless of monetary value. This shows you didn't just spend money; you "used your heart." This value is paramount in education, personal relationships, and professional settings, where a **用心** attitude is seen as a hallmark of a reliable and respectable person. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **用心** is an extremely common and positive term used in daily life. It can function as an adjective to describe a person or a piece of work, or as an adverb to describe how an action is performed. * **Praising Someone:** It's a very common and sincere compliment. If someone prepares a detailed presentation, gives you a thoughtful gift, or cooks a delicious meal, you can say, "你太用心了！" (Nǐ tài yòngxīn le!) - "You're so thoughtful/attentive!" * **Describing Work or Study Ethic:** It's often used to describe a good student or employee. A boss might praise an employee's report by saying it was done "很用心" (hěn yòngxīn). * **Encouragement or Mild Criticism:** A teacher might tell a student who is struggling despite putting in the hours, "你需要更用心一点" (Nǐ xūyào gèng yòngxīn yīdiǎn) - "You need to be a bit more focused and engaged." The negative form, "不用心" (bù yòngxīn), means "inattentive," "careless," or "half-hearted." ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 谢谢你的礼物，你太**用心**了！ * Pinyin: Xièxie nǐ de lǐwù, nǐ tài **yòngxīn** le! * English: Thank you for the gift, you're so thoughtful! * Analysis: This is a classic response to receiving a gift that clearly required effort and thought. It praises the giver's sincerity, not just the gift itself. * **Example 2:** * 他学习很**用心**，所以成绩一直很好。 * Pinyin: Tā xuéxí hěn **yòngxīn**, suǒyǐ chéngjì yīzhí hěn hǎo. * English: He studies very conscientiously, so his grades have always been very good. * Analysis: This implies he doesn't just memorize facts, but actively engages with the material to truly understand it. It describes the //quality// of his studying. * **Example 3:** * 这份报告做得非常**用心**，细节都考虑到了。 * Pinyin: Zhè fèn bàogào zuò de fēicháng **yòngxīn**, xìjié dōu kǎolǜ dào le. * English: This report was done with great care and diligence; all the details were considered. * Analysis: Here, **用心** is used as an adjective to describe the quality of the report. It's high praise in a professional context. * **Example 4:** * 只要你**用心**去做，就一定能成功。 * Pinyin: Zhǐyào nǐ **yòngxīn** qù zuò, jiù yīdìng néng chénggōng. * English: As long as you put your heart into it, you will surely succeed. * Analysis: This is a common phrase of encouragement. **用心** functions as an adverb, modifying the verb "to do" (做, zuò). * **Example 5:** * 这是我**用心**为你挑选的，希望你喜欢。 * Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒ **yòngxīn** wèi nǐ tiāoxuǎn de, xīwàng nǐ xǐhuān. * English: I thoughtfully/carefully selected this for you; I hope you like it. * Analysis: The adverb **用心** emphasizes that the selection process was not random but was done with the recipient's preferences in mind. * **Example 6:** * 他做事总是**不用心**，所以经常出错。 * Pinyin: Tā zuòshì zǒngshì **bù yòngxīn**, suǒyǐ jīngcháng chūcuò. * English: He is always inattentive when he does things, so he often makes mistakes. * Analysis: This shows the negative form, **不用心 (bù yòngxīn)**, which means careless, half-hearted, or lacking concentration. * **Example 7:** * 她对这段感情很**用心**，付出了很多。 * Pinyin: Tā duì zhè duàn gǎnqíng hěn **yòngxīn**, fùchū le hěn duō. * English: She is very committed to this relationship and has invested a lot in it. * Analysis: In the context of relationships, **用心** means being attentive, thoughtful, and emotionally invested. * **Example 8:** * 你能看出这位厨师在做菜时非常**用心**。 * Pinyin: Nǐ néng kànchū zhè wèi chúshī zài zuòcài shí fēicháng **yòngxīn**. * English: You can tell that this chef is extremely meticulous and passionate when he cooks. * Analysis: This suggests the chef's cooking is an art form, not just a job. The food is prepared with passion and care. * **Example 9:** * 老师告诉我们，阅读时要**用心**体会作者的想法。 * Pinyin: Lǎoshī gàosù wǒmen, yuèdú shí yào **yòngxīn** tǐhuì zuòzhě de xiǎngfǎ. * English: The teacher told us that when we read, we should try our best to understand and appreciate the author's thoughts. * Analysis: Here, **用心** means to engage deeply and empathically, rather than just passively reading the words. * **Example 10:** * 我们必须**用心**服务好每一位客户。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū **yòngxīn** fúwù hǎo měi yī wèi kèhù. * English: We must serve every customer with dedication and care. * Analysis: In a business or service context, **用心** communicates a commitment to high-quality, customer-centric service that goes beyond the basic requirements. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **用心 (yòngxīn) vs. 努力 (nǔlì):** This is the most important distinction for learners. * **[[努力]] (nǔlì)** means "to work hard" or "make an effort." It's about the //quantity// of effort. * **用心 (yòngxīn)** is about the //quality// and //sincerity// of the effort. * You can be **努力** without being **用心** (e.g., studying for 10 hours while distracted). But if you are truly **用心**, you are by definition also **努力**. * **Incorrect:** "我昨天很用心学习了十个小时。" (Wǒ zuótiān hěn yòngxīn xuéxí le shí ge xiǎoshí.) While grammatically okay, it's more natural to say "我昨天学习很用心" (describing the quality) or "我昨天努力学习了十个小时" (describing the quantity/duration). * **用心 (yòngxīn) vs. 小心 (xiǎoxīn):** This is another common point of confusion. * **[[小心]] (xiǎoxīn)** means "to be careful" in the sense of avoiding danger or mistakes. It's about preventing a negative outcome. (e.g., "过马路要小心" - Be careful when crossing the street.) * **用心 (yòngxīn)** means "to be attentive/conscientious" in the sense of achieving a high-quality, positive outcome. (e.g., "他用心准备了礼物" - He thoughtfully prepared the gift.) * You are **小心** so you don't drop the cake. You are **用心** when you bake and decorate it beautifully. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * **[[努力]] (nǔlì)** - To work hard; great effort. Focuses on the quantity and exertion of work. * **[[认真]] (rènzhēn)** - Serious, earnest. Describes a serious attitude and a focus on doing things correctly and by the book. It's very close to `用心` but can feel slightly less personal and more about dutifulness. * **[[仔细]] (zǐxì)** - Meticulous, detailed, careful. Focuses specifically on paying attention to small details to avoid errors. Being `仔细` is a component of being `用心`. * **[[专心]] (zhuānxīn)** - To concentrate, to focus one's mind. Refers to undivided attention. You must be `专心` in order to be `用心`. * **[[诚意]] (chéngyì)** - Sincerity, good faith. This is the genuine and honest feeling that underlies a `用心` action. * **[[费心]] (fèixīn)** - To go to a lot of trouble (often for someone else). It highlights the great effort expended and is often used when expressing gratitude for a big favor. * **[[苦心]] (kǔxīn)** - Painstaking effort, meticulous care (often over a long period or against difficulty). It implies a level of hardship or struggle in the process. A teacher's `苦心` is their long-term, arduous effort to educate students.