xīnsuì: 心碎 - Heartbroken, Heart-shattered

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Summary for Search Engines: Learn the meaning of 心碎 (xīnsuì), the powerful Chinese word for “heartbroken.” This guide breaks down its literal meaning (“heart-shattered”), cultural significance, and practical usage in modern Chinese, from romantic breakups to deep disappointment. Perfect for beginners wanting to express profound sadness in Mandarin.

Pinyin (with tone marks): xīnsuì

Part of Speech: Verb, Adjective

HSK Level: N/A (but a very common and essential word)

Concise Definition: To be heartbroken; to have one's heart shattered by grief, disappointment, or loss.

In a Nutshell: 心碎 (xīnsuì) is one of the most powerful ways to express emotional pain in Chinese. It goes far beyond simple sadness (难过 - nánguò). It describes a devastating, overwhelming feeling of grief that feels like your heart has literally been smashed into pieces. It's the word you use for profound romantic loss, deep betrayal, or tragic news.

心 (xīn): Heart. In Chinese medicine and philosophy, the heart is considered the center of both emotions and consciousness. It represents the “heart-mind.”

碎 (suì): To shatter, smash, or break into pieces. The character is composed of 石 (shí), the radical for “stone,” and 卒 (zú). This combination creates a vivid image of smashing something hard like a stone into tiny fragments.

Together, 心碎 (xīnsuì) literally means “heart-shattered.” The imagery is not just of a clean break, but of a complete and violent destruction of one's emotional core, suggesting a pain that is difficult, if not impossible, to piece back together.

Emotional Intensity: While traditional Chinese culture sometimes values emotional stoicism, terms like 心碎 provide a culturally understood and accepted outlet for expressing the deepest levels of pain. It's a “limit-state” emotional word, reserved for life's most devastating blows. You'll hear it constantly in Chinese pop songs (C-pop), TV dramas, and movies to signify a climactic moment of emotional crisis.

Comparison to “Heartbroken”: The English word “heartbroken” is a very close equivalent. However, the Chinese term 心碎 (xīnsuì) arguably carries a more violent and final connotation due to the character 碎 (suì). “Breaking” can imply two pieces that might be mended. “Shattering” implies being smashed into countless fragments, conveying a sense of utter devastation and hopelessness that is central to the feeling of 心碎. It is the emotional equivalent of a porcelain vase being dropped onto a concrete floor.

Formality and Connotation: 心碎 is informal and highly personal. You would use it with friends, family, or in a diary entry. It carries a heavy, negative connotation of extreme sadness.

On Social Media: It's frequently used online, sometimes hyperbolically. Someone might post “我最爱的餐厅关门了，心碎 💔” (My favorite restaurant closed, heartbroken 💔). In these cases, the tone is lighter, but it still borrows the weight of the word to express strong disappointment.

Example 1: 分手之后，她感到无比心碎。

Pinyin: Fēnshǒu zhīhòu, tā gǎndào wúbǐ xīnsuì.

English: After the breakup, she felt incomparably heartbroken.

Analysis: This is a classic, standard use of the term. 无比 (wúbǐ) means “incomparably” or “extremely,” amplifying the feeling of 心碎.

Example 2: 听到这个坏消息，我的心都碎了。

Pinyin: Tīngdào zhège huài xiāoxi, wǒ de xīn dōu suì le.

English: Hearing this bad news, my heart just shattered.

Analysis: The structure “我的心都碎了” (wǒ de xīn dōu suì le) is a very common and natural way to express this feeling. The particle 了 (le) indicates the completion of the action—the heart has already broken.

Example 3: 他的背叛让每一个爱他的人都心碎。

Pinyin: Tā de bèipàn ràng měi yíge ài tā de rén dōu xīnsuì.

English: His betrayal made everyone who loved him heartbroken.

Analysis: This shows how 心碎 can be caused by actions like betrayal (背叛 - bèipàn), not just loss.

Example 4: 这是一首关于心碎和孤独的歌。

Pinyin: Zhè shì yī shǒu guānyú xīnsuì hé gūdú de gē.

English: This is a song about heartbreak and loneliness.

Analysis: Here, 心碎 is used as a noun concept (heartbreak) to describe the theme of a song (歌 - gē).

Example 5: 看着流浪猫在雨中发抖，她露出了心碎的表情。

Pinyin: Kànzhe liúlàng māo zài yǔ zhōng fādǒu, tā lùchū le xīnsuì de biǎoqíng.

English: Watching the stray cat tremble in the rain, she showed a heartbroken expression.

Analysis: This demonstrates the adjectival use of 心碎. It modifies “expression” (表情 - biǎoqíng). It conveys deep empathy and sadness.

Example 6: 球队在决赛中输了，球迷们都心碎了。

Pinyin: Qiúduì zài juésài zhōng shū le, qiúmímen dōu xīnsuì le.

English: The team lost in the finals, and the fans were all heartbroken.

Analysis: A common non-romantic use, showing deep disappointment in a high-stakes situation like a sports final (决赛 - juésài).

Example 7: 父母看到他沉迷赌博，真是又生气又心碎。

Pinyin: Fùmǔ kàndào tā chénmí dǔbó, zhēnshì yòu shēngqì yòu xīnsuì.

English: When his parents saw he was addicted to gambling, they were both angry and heartbroken.

Analysis: This shows how 心碎 can be mixed with other strong emotions like anger (生气 - shēngqì).

Example 8: 没什么，只是有点心碎而已。

Pinyin: Méi shénme, zhǐshì yǒudiǎn xīnsuì éryǐ.

English: It's nothing, just a little heartbroken, that's all.

Analysis: This is an example of understatement. The speaker is likely trying to downplay a very deep pain. The pairing of “a little” (有点) with the extreme “heartbroken” (心碎) creates a poignant, sad tone.

Example 9: 每一段心碎的经历都会让你更坚强。

Pinyin: Měi yí duàn xīnsuì de jīnglì dōu huì ràng nǐ gèng jiānqiáng.

English: Every experience of heartbreak will make you stronger.

Analysis: Here, 心碎的经历 (xīnsuì de jīnglì) means “an experience of heartbreak.” This sentence frames the painful experience as a source of future strength (坚强 - jiānqiáng).

Example 10: 我最喜欢的冰淇淋停产了，心碎！

Pinyin: Wǒ zuì xǐhuān de bīngqílín tíngchǎn le, xīnsuì!

English: My favorite ice cream was discontinued, heartbroken!

Analysis: This is a modern, hyperbolic use often seen on social media. It's meant to be humorous and dramatic, not to express genuine deep grief. The context makes it clear it's not serious.

伤心 (shāngxīn) - Sad, grieved. Literally “wounded heart.” Less intense than 心碎.

难过 (nánguò) - Sad, feeling bad. The most common and general term for sadness.

失望 (shīwàng) - To be disappointed. Refers to unfulfilled expectations.

绝望 (juéwàng) - To despair; hopeless. A state of mind that can result from being 心碎.

痛苦 (tòngkǔ) - Pain, suffering (can be physical or mental). A feeling often associated with 心碎.

心疼 (xīnténg) - To feel sorry for someone; to love dearly; to feel a pang of love/pity. It's a kind of “heartache” you feel for someone else or for something you cherish.

分手 (fēnshǒu) - To break up. A very common cause of 心碎.

失恋 (shīliàn) - To be jilted; to lose a love. The state of having just gone through a breakup, often leading to 心碎.

悲伤 (bēishāng) - Grieved, sorrowful. More formal and literary than 伤心.