ānxīn: 安心 - At Ease, Relieved, Peace of Mind

• Keywords: an xin, an xin meaning, what does an xin mean, an xin Chinese, feel relieved in Chinese, peace of mind in Chinese, 安心, 放心, at ease, rest assured, Chinese word for security, safe and sound.
• Summary: 安心 (ānxīn) is a fundamental Chinese term describing the profound feeling of being at ease, relieved, and free from worry. It represents a state of inner peace and security that comes from knowing a problem is solved or a loved one is safe. More than just “not worried,” `安心` is a deep-seated sense of settledness in one's heart and mind. This page explores the cultural significance of `安心`, its practical use in daily life, and how it differs from similar concepts like `放心` (fàngxīn).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): ānxīn
• Part of Speech: Verb, Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To feel at ease, relieved, or secure; to have peace of mind.
• In a Nutshell: `安心` is the feeling that washes over you when a major source of anxiety disappears. Imagine waiting for important test results, and then finding out you passed – that deep exhale and the subsequent feeling of calm is `安心`. It's the opposite of being anxious or on edge. It can describe both the action of setting one's mind at ease and the state of being at ease.

• 安 (ān): This character is a pictograph of a woman (女) under a roof (宀). It evokes a powerful image of safety, security, peace, and stability. A home provides shelter and peace, which is the core meaning of `安`.
• 心 (xīn): This character represents the human heart. In Chinese, the heart (`心`) is seen as the seat of both emotion and thought, equivalent to the Western concept of “heart and mind.”
• The Combination: Together, `安心` literally translates to a “peaceful heart” or a “secure mind.” The characters combine to create a vivid and intuitive picture: a heart that is safe, sheltered, and not troubled by external worries.

`安心` is more than just a personal feeling; it's a deeply embedded cultural goal in Chinese society, often linked to family and collective well-being. While an English speaker might seek “peace of mind” through individualistic means like buying insurance or practicing mindfulness, the source of `安心` in Chinese culture is often relational and external. For example:

• Parents feel `安心` when their children secure a stable job and get married.
• A person feels `安心` knowing their elderly parents are healthy and well-cared for.
• A community feels `安心` when societal order is stable and predictable.

This contrasts with the Western emphasis on individual control. The Chinese concept of `安心` is often achieved when one's responsibilities to the family and community are fulfilled, and when the people one cares about are safe and sound. It reflects the Confucian value of a stable, harmonious social order where everyone has a proper place and feels secure within that structure. It's the emotional reward for a life in balance with one's environment and relationships.

`安心` is a versatile and common word used in many situations.

• To Reassure Others: It's frequently used to tell someone not to worry.
  • Example: “你安心养病吧，工作的事情我来处理。” (Nǐ ānxīn yǎngbìng ba, gōngzuò de shìqíng wǒ lái chǔlǐ.) - “Just focus on getting better; I'll handle things at work.”
• To Describe a State of Relief: This is its most common usage, expressing one's own feeling of settledness.
  • Example: “看到你安全到家，我就安心了。” (Kàndào nǐ ānquán dàojiā, wǒ jiù ānxīn le.) - “Seeing you arrived home safely, I feel relieved now.”
• To Describe the Ability to Focus: It can also mean to concentrate on a task without being distracted by worries.
  • Example: “他家里出了事，没法安心工作。” (Tā jiālǐ chūle shì, méifǎ ānxīn gōngzuò.) - “Something happened in his family, so he can't focus on his work.”
• As a Desired Quality: Businesses often use `安心` to describe products or services that are reliable and safe, giving customers peace of mind.
  • Example: “我们提供最安心的母婴产品。” (Wǒmen tígōng zuì ānxīn de mǔ yīng chǎnpǐn.) - “We provide the most trustworthy (peace-of-mind-inducing) mother and baby products.”

• Example 1:
  • 妈妈，您就安心吧，我在国外一切都好。
  • Pinyin: Māma, nín jiù ānxīn ba, wǒ zài guówài yīqiè dōu hǎo.
  • English: Mom, please rest assured, everything is fine with me abroad.
  • Analysis: A classic example of a child reassuring a parent. The child is asking the mother to enter a state of `安心`.
• Example 2:
  • 考试结果出来了，我及格了，这下我总算可以安心了。
  • Pinyin: Kǎoshì jiéguǒ chūláile, wǒ jígéle, zhèxià wǒ zǒngsuàn kěyǐ ānxīn le.
  • English: The exam results are out and I passed, now I can finally feel relieved.
  • Analysis: This shows `安心` as the direct result of a specific worry being lifted. The adverb `总算 (zǒngsuàn)`, meaning “finally,” emphasizes the prior state of anxiety.
• Example 3:
  • 只要你在我身边，我就觉得很安心。
  • Pinyin: Zhǐyào nǐ zài wǒ shēnbiān, wǒ jiù juéde hěn ānxīn.
  • English: As long as you are by my side, I feel very at ease/secure.
  • Analysis: This highlights the relational aspect of `安心`. The source of security is the presence of another person.
• Example 4:
  • 这家餐厅的食材很新鲜，让顾客吃得很安心。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng de shícái hěn xīnxiān, ràng gùkè chī de hěn ānxīn.
  • English: This restaurant's ingredients are very fresh, which lets customers eat with peace of mind.
  • Analysis: Used here to describe a quality. The food is “peace-of-mind-inducing” because it's safe and high-quality.
• Example 5:
  • 医生告诉他手术很成功，让他安心休养。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng gàosù tā shǒushù hěn chénggōng, ràng tā ānxīn xiūyǎng.
  • English: The doctor told him the surgery was very successful, telling him to rest and recover with a peaceful mind.
  • Analysis: Here, `安心` functions as an adverb modifying the verb `休养 (xiūyǎng)`, meaning “to recuperate.” It means to do so without any worries.
• Example 6:
  • 邻居家的狗叫了一晚上，吵得我根本无法安心睡觉。
  • Pinyin: Línjū jiā de gǒu jiàole yī wǎnshàng, chǎo de wǒ gēnběn wúfǎ ānxīn shuìjiào.
  • English: The neighbor's dog barked all night, it was so noisy that I simply couldn't sleep peacefully.
  • Analysis: A negative example showing the inability to achieve a state of `安心`. `无法 (wúfǎ)` means “to be unable to.”
• Example 7:
  • 你就安心去旅行吧，家里的猫我会照顾好的。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ jiù ānxīn qù lǚxíng ba, jiālǐ de māo wǒ huì zhàogù hǎo de.
  • English: Just go on your trip without any worries, I'll take good care of the cat at home.
  • Analysis: Another common use of reassurance. The speaker takes responsibility for a potential source of worry, allowing the other person to feel `安心`.
• Example 8:
  • 找到一份稳定的工作后，他才能安心地规划未来。
  • Pinyin: Zhǎodào yī fèn wěndìng de gōngzuò hòu, tā cáinéng ānxīn de guīhuà wèilái.
  • English: Only after finding a stable job could he plan for the future with peace of mind.
  • Analysis: This connects `安心` with the cultural importance of stability (`稳定 wěndìng`). Financial and career security is a prerequisite for feeling `安心`.
• Example 9:
  • 这个消息是假的，你别担心，安心等官方通知。
  • Pinyin: Zhège xiāoxī shì jiǎ de, nǐ bié dānxīn, ānxīn děng guānfāng tōngzhī.
  • English: This news is fake, don't worry, just wait calmly for the official announcement.
  • Analysis: Here, `安心` is used as an instruction, telling someone *how* to wait—calmly and without anxiety.
• Example 10:
  • 他的解释并不能让我安心。
  • Pinyin: Tā de jiěshì bìng bùnéng ràng wǒ ānxīn.
  • English: His explanation could not set my mind at ease.
  • Analysis: A negative sentence showing that an attempt at reassurance failed. The feeling of worry (`不安心 bù ānxīn`) remains.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between `安心 (ānxīn)` and `放心 (fàngxīn)`. They are closely related but not interchangeable.

• `安心 (ānxīn)` vs. `放心 (fàngxīn)`:
  • `放心 (fàngxīn)` - “to put down your heart.” This is the action of letting go of a worry or trusting someone/something. It's often directed at an external object. You tell someone “你放心!” (Don't worry! / Trust me!). It's the *cause*.
  • `安心 (ānxīn)` - “a peaceful heart.” This is the resulting internal state of feeling relieved and at peace. It's the *effect*.
  • Simple Analogy: Your friend says, “放心吧，我会帮你喂猫” (“Rest assured, I'll help feed your cat”). Because you trust them, you can go on vacation and feel 安心 (“at ease”). You can't say “安心吧，我会帮你喂猫”. You must use `放心` to give reassurance.
• Common Mistake: Using `安心` to mean “relax” in a general sense.
  • Incorrect: 我周末想在家安心一下。 (Wǒ zhōumò xiǎng zàijiā ānxīn yīxià.)
  • Why it's wrong: `安心` implies the removal of a specific, serious worry. For general relaxation, you should use `放松 (fàngsōng)`.
  • Correct: 我周末想在家放松一下。 (Wǒ zhōumò xiǎng zàijiā fàngsōng yīxià.) - I want to relax at home this weekend.

• 放心 (fàngxīn) - The act of trusting or letting go of a worry; the direct cause of feeling `安心`.
• 担心 (dānxīn) - The direct antonym. To worry, to feel anxious (literally “to carry a burden on the heart”).
• 安全 (ānquán) - Safety; security. A state of physical safety (`安全`) is often a prerequisite for the emotional state of `安心`.
• 平静 (píngjìng) - Calm, tranquil. Can describe a person's mood or an environment. `平静` is a general state of calmness, while `安心` specifically implies relief from a prior worry.
• 踏实 (tāshi) - Grounded, steady, dependable. A feeling of being steadfast and reliable. While similar to `安心`, `踏实` emphasizes solidity and lack of frivolity, not just relief from anxiety.
• 舒心 (shūxīn) - Pleased, comfortable, happy. A pleasant and comfortable feeling, often from a good experience. It's a more general positive feeling than the specific relief of `安心`.
• 省心 (shěngxīn) - To save worry; hassle-free. Describes a person, product, or situation that doesn't cause you problems, thereby helping you feel `安心`.