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. ====== tiě shí xīn cháng: 铁石心肠 - Heart of Iron and Stone, Hard-hearted ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** 铁石心肠, tie shi xin chang, Chinese idiom, hard-hearted in Chinese, unfeeling, heart of stone, Chinese chengyu, describe a cold person in Chinese, ruthless, pitiless, heartless. * **Summary:** Learn the powerful Chinese idiom **铁石心肠 (tiě shí xīn cháng)**, a vivid chengyu that literally means "iron and stone heart." It is used to describe someone who is hard-hearted, unfeeling, or has a 'heart of stone'. This guide explores its meaning, character breakdown, cultural context, and practical examples to help you understand how to talk about a pitiless or ruthless person in authentic Chinese. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** tiě shí xīn cháng * **Part of Speech:** Chengyu (Idiom) / Adjective * **HSK Level:** N/A (Advanced / Chengyu) * **Concise Definition:** To be hard-hearted, unfeeling, and unmoved by emotion; to have a heart of iron and stone. * **In a Nutshell:** 铁石心肠 (tiě shí xīn cháng) is a four-character idiom that paints a powerful metaphorical picture. It describes a person whose heart and emotions—their very core—are as hard and impenetrable as iron and rock. Someone with this quality is immune to pity, compassion, or emotional appeals. It's a strong term used to criticize a person's lack of empathy. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **铁 (tiě):** Iron; a symbol of strength, hardness, and unyielding resolve. * **石 (shí):** Stone or rock; a symbol of coldness, immobility, and lack of feeling. * **心 (xīn):** Heart; in Chinese culture, this is the seat of both thought and emotion. * **肠 (cháng):** Intestines; refers to the viscera or "guts." The compound word **心肠 (xīncháng)** means "heart," "conscience," or one's fundamental nature. The characters combine literally to mean "iron and stone heart/conscience." The idiom uses the unyielding hardness of metal and rock to describe a person's fundamental emotional nature, suggesting they are completely devoid of warmth, compassion, and mercy. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * In Chinese culture, great value is placed on **人情味 (rénqíngwèi)**, or "human warmth," which encompasses empathy, compassion, and consideration for others' feelings. To be called 铁石心肠 is a harsh criticism, as it implies a person lacks this essential human quality. It suggests they operate outside the normal bounds of social and emotional reciprocity. * **Comparison to Western Concepts:** The English phrase "heart of stone" or "stone-hearted" is a very close equivalent. However, the inclusion of **肠 (cháng)**, meaning intestines or "guts," adds a slightly deeper, more visceral layer in Chinese. In traditional Chinese thought, the abdomen and its organs are also seats of emotion. So, 铁石心肠 implies not just a cold mind or heart, but a cold "gut feeling" as well—a complete and fundamental lack of compassion from one's very core. It stands in stark contrast to Confucian values like **仁 (rén)**, or benevolence. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **Connotation:** Overwhelmingly negative. It is an insult or a strong criticism. It's not a compliment for being "strong" or "tough." * **Formality:** As a chengyu, it carries a degree of literary formality but is commonly used in everyday spoken Chinese, especially during arguments, complaints, or moments of high emotion. * **Common Situations:** * **Describing a ruthless person:** Used for a merciless boss, a cold-hearted business rival, or a cruel villain in a story. * **In personal relationships:** To accuse a partner or family member of being unfeeling or cruel during a conflict. * **Social commentary:** To criticize officials, landlords, or anyone in a position of power who acts without mercy or compassion for those in need. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 他真是**铁石心肠**，不管我们怎么求情，他还是解雇了老王。 * Pinyin: Tā zhēnshi **tiě shí xīn cháng**, bùguǎn wǒmen zěnme qiúqíng, tā háishì jiěgùle Lǎo Wáng. * English: He's truly hard-hearted; no matter how we pleaded, he still fired Old Wang. * Analysis: This is a classic example of using the idiom to describe a merciless boss who is unmoved by his employees' pleas. * **Example 2:** * 看到这么可怜的小猫在雨中，你怎么能**铁石心肠**地走开呢？ * Pinyin: Kàndào zhème kělián de xiǎo māo zài yǔzhōng, nǐ zěnme néng **tiě shí xīn cháng** de zǒu kāi ne? * English: Seeing such a pitiful kitten in the rain, how could you be so stone-hearted and just walk away? * Analysis: This shows the term being used to criticize a lack of compassion in a situation where it is socially expected. * **Example 3:** * 那个法官**铁石心肠**，判决时从不考虑被告的个人情况。 * Pinyin: Nàge fǎguān **tiě shí xīn cháng**, pànjué shí cóngbù kǎolǜ bèigào de gèrén qíngkuàng. * English: That judge is pitiless; he never considers the defendant's personal circumstances when making a judgment. * Analysis: Note the strong negative judgment here. A more positive term for an impartial judge would be [[铁面无私]] (tiě miàn wú sī). * **Example 4:** * 你怎么能这么**铁石心肠**，对我多年的付出视而不见？ * Pinyin: Nǐ zěnme néng zhème **tiě shí xīn cháng**, duì wǒ duōnián de fùchū shì'érbùjiàn? * English: How can you be so heartless, turning a blind eye to my years of devotion? * Analysis: This sentence demonstrates its use in a personal, emotional confrontation between two people. * **Example 5:** * 在商场上，他以**铁石心肠**著称，对竞争对手毫不留情。 * Pinyin: Zài shāngchǎng shàng, tā yǐ **tiě shí xīn cháng** zhùchēng, duì jìngzhēng duìshǒu háo bù liúqíng. * English: In the business world, he is known for being ruthless and shows no mercy to his competitors. * Analysis: Here, the term describes a professional reputation. While negative, it might be seen as a necessary trait for cutthroat business by some. * **Example 6:** * 面对敌人的严刑拷打，这位英雄**铁石心肠**，一个字也没吐露。 * Pinyin: Miànduì dírén de yánxíng kǎodǎ, zhè wèi yīngxióng **tiě shí xīn cháng**, yīgè zì yě méi tǔlù. * English: Facing the enemy's brutal torture, this hero was as hard as iron, not revealing a single word. * Analysis: This is a rare context where 铁石心肠 can be seen positively. It emphasizes unyielding resolve and strength against a foe, rather than a lack of general compassion. * **Example 7:** * 别指望他会借钱给你，他那个人是出了名的**铁石心肠**。 * Pinyin: Bié zhǐwàng tā huì jiè qián gěi nǐ, tā nàge rén shì chūle míng de **tiě shí xīn cháng**. * English: Don't expect him to lend you money; he is famously hard-hearted. * Analysis: A common usage to warn someone about another person's uncharitable nature. * **Example 8:** * 剧里的反派角色通常都被塑造成一个**铁石心肠**的恶棍。 * Pinyin: Jù lǐ de fǎnpài juésè tōngcháng dōu bèi sùzào chéng yīgè **tiě shí xīn cháng** de ègùn. * English: The villain in the drama is usually portrayed as a hard-hearted scoundrel. * Analysis: This shows its use in literary or film analysis to describe a character archetype. * **Example 9:** * 为了实现自己的目标，有时候你必须变得**铁石心肠**一点。 * Pinyin: Wèile shíxiàn zìjǐ de mùbiāo, yǒushíhòu nǐ bìxū biànde **tiě shí xīn cháng** yīdiǎn. * English: In order to achieve your goals, sometimes you have to become a little more hard-hearted. * Analysis: This sentence shows a self-reflective use, acknowledging that one may need to suppress compassion to succeed, framing it as a necessary evil. * **Example 10:** * 就算他是**铁石心肠**，听到这个悲惨的故事也会动容的。 * Pinyin: Jiùsuàn tā shì **tiě shí xīn cháng**, tīngdào zhège bēicǎn de gùshì yě huì dòngróng de. * English: Even if he has a heart of stone, he would be moved after hearing this tragic story. * Analysis: This uses the idiom hypothetically to emphasize the extreme sadness of a story. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Mistake 1: Confusing it with being "strong" or "resilient".** * While someone who is 铁石心肠 might be strong, the term's focus is on their **lack of empathy**, not their fortitude. A hero enduring torture is a specific exception. In 99% of cases, it's a criticism. Don't use it to praise someone for being "tough." * **Mistake 2: Using it for trivial matters.** * This is a strong idiom. Using it for something minor sounds overly dramatic. * **Incorrect:** 他不给我吃他的薯片，真是铁石心肠！ (He won't give me any of his chips, he's so hard-hearted!) * **Why it's wrong:** This is too trivial. The situation doesn't call for a judgment on someone's fundamental compassion. * **"False Friend" with "Thick-skinned":** * In English, "thick-skinned" means you are not easily offended by criticism. This is about how you receive negative input. * **铁石心肠** is about how you give (or fail to give) empathy. It's about a lack of compassion for others' suffering, not an immunity to your own. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * **[[冷酷无情]] (lěng kù wú qíng)** - A very close synonym meaning "cold, cruel, and unfeeling." It is more direct and less metaphorical than 铁石心肠. * **[[心狠手辣]] (xīn hěn shǒu là)** - Vicious and merciless (lit. "heart ruthless, hands spicy"). This term emphasizes cruel **actions**, whereas 铁石心肠 emphasizes an unfeeling **nature**. * **[[无动于衷]] (wú dòng yú zhōng)** - To be indifferent and unmoved. This describes the **reaction** (or lack thereof) in a specific situation. A person is 无动于衷 because they are 铁石心肠. * **[[心软]] (xīn ruǎn)** - Soft-hearted. The most direct and common antonym. * **[[菩萨心肠]] (pú sà xīn cháng)** - The heart of a Bodhisattva; extremely kind and compassionate. A strong, praise-filled antonym. * **[[铁面无私]] (tiě miàn wú sī)** - Impartial and incorruptible (lit. "iron face, no selfishness"). This is a **positive** term, often used for a just judge or official who is not swayed by emotion or bribery. It's crucial not to confuse this with the negative 铁石心肠. * **[[麻木不仁]] (má mù bù rén)** - Numb and apathetic. Similar to 铁石心肠, but it can imply an inability to feel due to desensitization or apathy, rather than a willful, hard-hearted nature.