伤心
shāngxīn
The English phrase 'heartbroken' is translated into Chinese as 伤心 (shāngxīn).
伤心 is used to describe someone suffering from grief.
Meaning: suffering from grief (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 伤 (shāng), meaning 'hurt' or 'injured' and 心 (xīn), meaning 'heart'.
Which one should you use?
伤心 implies a deeper, more visceral sense of being 'heartbroken' or 'wounded', whereas 难过 is a more general term for feeling sad or upset.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because 伤心 is an adjective, it is common to use the adverb 很 before it to mean 'is heartbroken' or 'very heartbroken' in a standard declarative sentence, such as in 很伤心.
How do you pronounce it?
shāngxīn
Did you know?
- In Chinese medicine and traditional culture, the 心 (heart) is viewed as the seat of both emotion and intellect, meaning 伤心 describes a wound to one's mental and emotional center simultaneously.
- The character 心 is a pictograph that originally resembled the actual physical organ of the heart, a shape that has remained recognizable for thousands of years.
- In Chinese literature and opera, 伤心 is often accompanied by the physical act of sobbing or 'wailing', as emotional pain is traditionally expected to have a visible, audible manifestation.
Examples in context
- 当我听到这个坏消息时，我感到非常伤心。When I heard this bad news, I felt very heartbroken.
- 分手后，他体验到了一种无尽的痛苦。After the breakup, he experienced an endless heartache.
- 他的离去让我们感到非常悲伤。His departure left us feeling deeply heartbroken.
- 我听到她的离去的消息后，感到伤心欲绝。After hearing the news of her departure, I felt utterly heartbroken.
- 他意外发现她的背叛，让他感到完全崩溃了。He unexpectedly discovered her betrayal, which made him feel completely heartbroken.
- 分手后，我的心碎了。My heart shattered after the breakup.
- 他看起来非常伤心。Tā kàn qǐlái fēicháng shāngxīn.He looks very heartbroken.
- 别再为这件事伤心了。Bié zài wèi zhè jiàn shì shāngxīn le.Don't be heartbroken over this matter anymore.
- 听到这个消息，她很伤心。Tīng dào zhège xiāoxi, tā hěn shāngxīn.She was heartbroken to hear the news.
Example conversation
Xiaowen is comforting Haoran after he lost his pet.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen浩然，你怎么这么伤心？Hàorán, nǐ zěnme zhème shāngxīn?Haoran, why are you so heartbroken?
- 浩然 Haoran我的小狗昨天去世了。Wǒ de xiǎogǒu zuótiān qùshì le.My puppy passed away yesterday.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我也为你感到伤心。Wǒ yě wèi nǐ gǎndào shāngxīn.I feel heartbroken for you too.
- 浩然 Haoran谢谢你的安慰，晓雯。Xièxiè nǐ de ānwèi, Xiǎowén.Thank you for the comfort, Xiaowen.
