====== dānxīn: 担心 - To Worry, Anxious ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** danxin, 担心, how to say worry in Chinese, anxious in Chinese, what does danxin mean, Chinese for concerned, don't worry in Chinese, HSK 3 vocabulary, 别担心, 担心 vs 害怕
  * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese word **担心 (dānxīn)**, meaning "to worry" or "to be anxious." This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural significance, and practical usage. Discover how expressing concern is a common way to show care in Chinese culture, and master its use with 10 practical example sentences, from simple phrases like "don't worry" (别担心 - bié dānxīn) to more complex expressions of concern.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** dānxīn
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb / Adjective
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 3
  * **Concise Definition:** To worry; to feel anxious or concerned about something or someone.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **担心 (dānxīn)** is the everyday feeling of unease or concern you have when you're thinking about a potential negative outcome. It's not a clinical anxiety, but rather the common mental state of worrying about your exams, a loved one's health, or if you'll be late. It captures the idea of a weight on your mind.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **担 (dān):** This character's original form depicts a hand (手) next to a carrying pole. Its primary meaning is "to carry a load on a shoulder pole" or "to bear a responsibility." Think of carrying a heavy burden.
  * **心 (xīn):** This character is a pictogram of a human heart. In Chinese, the heart is considered the seat of both emotion and thought, so it means "heart," "mind," or "feeling."
  * The characters combine literally to mean "to carry a burden in one's heart/mind." This beautiful and intuitive combination perfectly illustrates the feeling of being weighed down by worry.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
In Chinese culture, expressing **担心 (dānxīn)** is often a fundamental expression of care and love, especially within a family or close friendship. It's a way of saying, "You are important to me, and your well-being is on my mind."
This can contrast with some Western perspectives where constant expressions of worry might be perceived as a lack of trust, overbearing control, or nagging. For instance, a Chinese mother constantly telling her adult child to "wear more clothes" or "eat on time" is not just nagging; she is actively expressing her **担心**, which is her "love language." Understanding this helps decode many social interactions. When a Chinese friend says, "I was worried about you" (我很担心你), they are offering a message of deep connection and affection. It reinforces the collectivist value that "we are in this together," and your problems are my problems.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**担心 (dānxīn)** is an extremely common word used in virtually all informal and semi-formal contexts.
  * **In Conversation:** It's the default word for expressing worry. You'll hear it constantly between friends, family members, and colleagues. The phrase **别担心 (bié dānxīn)**, "Don't worry," is one of the most common reassurances.
  * **As a Verb:** It's often used in the pattern `[Subject] + 担心 + [Person/Thing/Situation being worried about]`. For example, `我担心你 (Wǒ dānxīn nǐ)` - "I worry about you."
  * **As an Adjective:** It can describe a person's state or appearance. For example, `他一脸担心的样子 (Tā yī liǎn dānxīn de yàngzi)` - "He had a worried look on his face."
  * **Connotation:** The feeling itself is negative (worry isn't pleasant), but the act of expressing **担心** for someone is almost always positive and seen as a gesture of care.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 你别**担心**，问题不大。
    * Pinyin: Nǐ bié **dānxīn**, wèntí bù dà.
    * English: Don't worry, the problem isn't big.
    * Analysis: This showcases the most common use case: reassuring someone with **别担心 (bié dānxīn)**. It's an essential phrase for any beginner.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 妈妈总是**担心**我的身体。
    * Pinyin: Māmā zǒngshì **dānxīn** wǒ de shēntǐ.
    * English: Mom is always worried about my health.
    * Analysis: This highlights the cultural point about family members, especially parents, using **担心** to express love and care.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 我很**担心**明天的考试。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ hěn **dānxīn** míngtiān de kǎoshì.
    * English: I'm very worried about tomorrow's exam.
    * Analysis: A classic example of worrying about a future event. This is a very common sentence structure for students.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 他还没回家，我很为他**担心**。
    * Pinyin: Tā hái méi huí jiā, wǒ hěn wèi tā **dānxīn**.
    * English: He hasn't come home yet, I'm very worried for him.
    * Analysis: This introduces the structure **为 (wèi) + [person] + 担心**, which means "to worry for/on behalf of someone." It adds a slight emphasis on the person being the object of concern.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 看到你安全到达，我就不**担心**了。
    * Pinyin: Kàndào nǐ ānquán dàodá, wǒ jiù bù **dānxīn** le.
    * English: Seeing that you've arrived safely, I'm not worried anymore.
    * Analysis: This shows how the state of worrying can be resolved. The particle **了 (le)** indicates a change of state from "worried" to "not worried."
  * **Example 6:**
    * 他的脸上带着**担心**的表情。
    * Pinyin: Tā de liǎn shàng dàizhe **dānxīn** de biǎoqíng.
    * English: He had a worried expression on his face.
    * Analysis: Here, **担心** functions as an adjective modifying "expression" (表情) using the particle **的 (de)**.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 你在**担心**什么？
    * Pinyin: Nǐ zài **dānxīn** shénme?
    * English: What are you worrying about?
    * Analysis: A simple and direct question used to ask someone about the source of their anxiety. **在 (zài)** can indicate the ongoing action of worrying.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 最让我**担心**的是天气预报说明天有台风。
    * Pinyin: Zuì ràng wǒ **dānxīn** de shì tiānqì yùbào shuō míngtiān yǒu táifēng.
    * English: The thing that makes me most worried is that the weather forecast says there will be a typhoon tomorrow.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates a more complex structure: **让 (ràng) + [person] + 担心**, meaning "to make someone worry."
  * **Example 9:**
    * 只要你努力，就不用**担心**找不到好工作。
    * Pinyin: Zhǐyào nǐ nǔlì, jiù bùyòng **dānxīn** zhǎo bù dào hǎo gōngzuò.
    * English: As long as you work hard, you don't need to worry about not finding a good job.
    * Analysis: **不用 (bùyòng)** is another common way to say "no need to." This sentence offers conditional reassurance.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 投资有风险，很多人**担心**会亏钱。
    * Pinyin: Tóuzī yǒu fēngxiǎn, hěnduō rén **dānxīn** huì kuīqián.
    * English: Investing has risks; many people worry they will lose money.
    * Analysis: This shows **担心** being used in a broader, more objective context like finance or business.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
A frequent point of confusion for learners is the difference between **担心 (dānxīn)**, **害怕 (hàipà)**, and **着急 (zhāojí)**.
  * **担心 (dānxīn) vs. 害怕 (hàipà) - Worry vs. Fear:**
    * **担心** is anxiety about a **potential** negative outcome (e.g., "I'm worried I might fail the test").
    * **害怕 (hàipà)** is fear of a **present or definite** thing or situation (e.g., "I'm afraid of spiders" or "I'm scared of the big dog in front of me").
    * **Incorrect:** `我担心蛇。(Wǒ dānxīn shé.)` - This sounds odd, as if you are concerned for the snake's well-being.
    * **Correct:** `我害怕蛇。(Wǒ hàipà shé.)` - "I am afraid of snakes."
  * **担心 (dānxīn) vs. 着急 (zhāojí) - Worry vs. Time-pressure Anxiety:**
    * **担心** is a general mental state of concern.
    * **着急 (zhāojí)** is a more urgent, impatient anxiety, often due to a time constraint. It implies a feeling of needing to hurry.
    * **Example:** If you are late for a flight, you are **着急**. You might also be **担心** you'll miss the flight, but **着急** captures the feeling of franticness and impatience.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[放心]] (fàngxīn) - The direct antonym of 担心. It means "to feel relieved," "to set one's mind at rest." (Literally "to put down the heart").
  * [[着急]] (zhāojí) - To be anxious or worried, but specifically with a sense of urgency or impatience due to time.
  * [[害怕]] (hàipà) - To be afraid, scared. Refers to fear rather than worry.
  * [[操心]] (cāoxīn) - To worry about something in a way that involves taking responsibility and effort. It's more active than 担心. A parent might `操心` their child's education, meaning they actively manage and worry about it.
  * [[挂念]] (guàniàn) - To miss or be concerned about someone who is far away. It's a more sentimental and nostalgic form of worry. (Literally "to hang in one's thoughts").
  * [[忧虑]] (yōulǜ) - A more formal, literary, and deeper term for worry or anxiety, often about serious, long-term issues (e.g., `忧虑国家的未来` - to worry about the country's future).
  * [[别担心]] (bié dānxīn) - The essential phrase "Don't worry." A crucial conversational tool.