精神伤害
jīngshén shānghài
精神伤害 (jīngshén shānghài) is the Chinese phrase for emotional damage.
精神伤害 refers to psychological harm or distress caused to a person's mental well-being. It is commonly used in legal discussions regarding compensation for psychological distress or trauma.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 精神 (jīngshén), meaning spirit or mind and 伤害 (shānghài), meaning harm or damage.
Which one should you use?
While 'emotional damage' in English often carries a colloquial or hyperbolic tone in internet slang, 精神伤害 is a formal term used in legal and psychological contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
jīngshén shānghài
Did you know?
- To describe a specific type of 'emotional damage' caused by social embarrassment, Chinese speakers often use the term 社死 (shèsǐ), which literally means 'social death'.
- While 精神伤害 is the formal term, Chinese internet users often use the phrase 破防 (pòfáng), which literally means 'breaking through the defenses', to describe the feeling of emotional damage.
- While the phrase is formal, a person feeling 'emotionally damaged' by a joke might instead say they were 'hit' by the word 扎心 (zhā xīn), which literally means 'piercing the heart'.
Examples in context
- 他经历了一场严重的心理创伤。He experienced a severe emotional trauma.
- 她无法摆脱这段情感创伤。She couldn't get rid of this emotional trauma.
- 感情伤害会带来深远的影响。Emotional damage can have a profound impact.
- 他的心灵受伤需要时间来愈合。His wounded soul needs time to heal.
- 过度使用社交媒体会造成精神伤害。Guòdù shǐyòng shèjiāo méitǐ huì zàochéng jīngshén shānghài.Excessive use of social media can cause mental harm.
- 他这种行为对我造成了很大的精神伤害。Tā zhè zhǒng xíngwéi duì wǒ zàochéngle hěn dà de jīngshén shānghài.His behavior caused me great psychological distress.
- 我们必须避免对孩子造成精神伤害。Wǒmen bìxū bìmiǎn duì háizi zàochéng jīngshén shānghài.We must avoid causing mental harm to children.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a bad breakup.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我感觉这次分手给我带来了精神伤害。Wǒ gǎn jué zhè cì fēn shǒu gěi wǒ dài lái le jīng shén shāng hài.I feel like this breakup has caused me emotional damage.
- 俊杰 Junjie我很理解你的感受，晓雯。Wǒ hěn lǐ jiě nǐ de gǎn shòu, Xiǎo wén.I really understand how you feel, Xiaowen.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我不知道该怎么走出这个阴影。Wǒ bù zhī dào gāi zěn me zǒu chū zhè ge yīn yǐng.I don't know how to get past this shadow.
- 俊杰 Junjie别担心，时间会治愈一切的。Bié dān xīn, shí jiān huì zhì yù yī qiè de.Don't worry, time heals everything.
