xīnqíng bù hǎo: 心情不好 - To be in a bad mood, Feeling down

• Keywords: 心情不好, xinqing bu hao, bad mood in Chinese, feeling down Chinese, how to say I'm sad in Chinese, Chinese emotions, 心情, xīnqíng, upset in Chinese, how to express feelings in Chinese.
• Summary: “心情不好 (xīnqíng bù hǎo)” is one of the most essential phrases for expressing feelings in Mandarin Chinese. It literally translates to “mood not good” and is the most common way to say you are in a bad mood, feeling down, or generally upset. Learning “心情不好” is key for any beginner, as it provides a simple and culturally appropriate way to communicate a wide range of negative emotions, from minor annoyance to general sadness, without needing to be overly specific.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xīnqíng bù hǎo
• Part of Speech: Adjectival Phrase
• HSK Level: The components are HSK 1 (不, 好) and HSK 3 (心情), making the phrase accessible to elementary and intermediate learners.
• Concise Definition: A state of being in a bad mood or feeling emotionally unwell.
• In a Nutshell: Think of `心情不好` as the emotional equivalent of saying “I don't feel well” physically. It doesn't specify the exact emotion—it could be sadness, frustration, annoyance, or just a general gloominess. It perfectly captures that feeling of being “in a funk” or “having a bad day” without having to go into details. It's about your overall emotional state, not a single, sharp feeling.

• 心 (xīn): Heart. This character is a pictogram of the human heart. In Chinese culture, the heart is considered the center of both thought and emotion.
• 情 (qíng): Feeling, emotion, sentiment. This character is made of the “heart” radical `忄` (a variation of 心) on the left, and `青 (qīng)` on the right, which primarily provides the sound. The heart radical immediately tells you this word is about feelings.
• 不 (bù): No, not. A simple but powerful negation character.
• 好 (hǎo): Good, well. This character is a combination of `女 (nǚ)`, meaning woman, and `子 (zǐ)`, meaning child. The image of a mother with her child was traditionally seen as the epitome of what is “good”.

When combined, `心情 (xīnqíng)` means “heart-state” or “mood.” Adding `不好 (bù hǎo)`—“not good”—creates the direct and clear meaning: “mood not good.”

In many Western cultures, especially American culture, there can be an emphasis on pinpointing and articulating specific emotions (e.g., “I feel frustrated because…”, “I'm anxious about…”). While this is also possible in Chinese, there is a strong cultural preference for subtlety and maintaining social harmony. `心情不好` is the perfect tool for this cultural context. It allows a person to signal their negative emotional state without being confrontational or overly dramatic. It's a “softer,” more general way to express distress. For example, if you're invited to a party but are feeling down, saying “我心情不好，就不去了” (Wǒ xīnqíng bù hǎo, jiù bù qù le - “I'm in a bad mood, so I won't go”) is a perfectly valid and polite excuse. It communicates your state without burdening the host with the specific details of your problem, which aligns with the value of not “making trouble” for others (不给别人添麻烦 - bù gěi biérén tiān máfan). It's a step back from the intensity of `我很难过` (I'm very sad) or `我很生气` (I'm very angry), making it a lower-stakes, everyday expression.

`心情不好` is an extremely common and versatile phrase used in daily life.

• In Conversation: It's a frequent response to questions like “你怎么了?” (Nǐ zěnme le? - “What's wrong with you?”) or “你为什么不说话?” (Nǐ wèishéme bù shuōhuà? - “Why aren't you talking?”). It's a simple way to explain your quietness or lack of enthusiasm.
• On Social Media: This phrase is rampant on Chinese social media like WeChat (微信) and Weibo (微博). A user might post a simple status, “今天心情不好” (“Jīntiān xīnqíng bù hǎo” - In a bad mood today), often as a way to vent and elicit messages of support and comfort from friends.
• Formality and Connotation: The phrase is informal but not slang. It's perfectly acceptable to use with friends, family, and even close colleagues. It would be out of place in a formal business report but fine in a casual conversation with a manager you have a good relationship with. The connotation is negative but not overly alarming; it simply states a fact about one's temporary emotional state.

• Example 1:
  • 我今天心情不好，什么都不想做。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān xīnqíng bù hǎo, shénme dōu bùxiǎng zuò.
  • English: I'm in a bad mood today, I don't want to do anything.
  • Analysis: A classic and direct statement of one's feelings and the resulting apathy.
• Example 2:
  • A: 你怎么了？看起来不太开心。 B: 没什么，就是心情不好。
  • Pinyin: A: Nǐ zěnme le? Kàn qǐlái bú tài kāixīn. B: Méi shénme, jiùshì xīnqíng bù hǎo.
  • English: A: What's wrong? You don't look very happy. B: It's nothing, I'm just in a bad mood.
  • Analysis: This shows how `心情不好` can be used as a soft deflection, indicating a problem without wanting to discuss it further.
• Example 3:
  • 因为考试没考好，他一整天心情不好。
  • Pinyin: Yīnwèi kǎoshì méi kǎo hǎo, tā yī zhěng tiān xīnqíng bù hǎo.
  • English: Because he didn't do well on the exam, he's been in a bad mood all day.
  • Analysis: This example gives a clear cause (`因为…`) for the bad mood.
• Example 4:
  • 别理他，他今天心情不好。
  • Pinyin: Bié lǐ tā, tā jīntiān xīnqíng bù hǎo.
  • English: Don't mind him, he's in a bad mood today.
  • Analysis: Used to explain someone else's behavior to a third party.
• Example 5:
  • 如果你心情不好，可以听听音乐放松一下。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ xīnqíng bù hǎo, kěyǐ tīng tīng yīnyuè fàngsōng yīxià.
  • English: If you're feeling down, you can listen to some music to relax.
  • Analysis: This shows how to offer advice to someone who says they are `心情不好`.
• Example 6:
  • 为什么你总是心情不好？发生什么事了？
  • Pinyin: Wèishéme nǐ zǒng shì xīnqíng bù hǎo? Fāshēng shénme shì le?
  • English: Why are you always in a bad mood? What happened?
  • Analysis: Using the phrase in a question to show concern.
• Example 7:
  • 外面下着雨，搞得我心情不好。
  • Pinyin: Wàimiàn xiàzhe yǔ, gǎo de wǒ xīnqíng bù hǎo.
  • English: It's raining outside, which is putting me in a bad mood.
  • Analysis: The structure `搞得我… (gǎo de wǒ…)` means “makes me…” or “causes me to be…”. It shows how external factors can affect one's mood.
• Example 8:
  • 我心情不好的时候，就喜欢一个人待着。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xīnqíng bù hǎo de shíhòu, jiù xǐhuān yīgè rén dāizhe.
  • English: When I'm in a bad mood, I just like to be by myself.
  • Analysis: The `…的时候 (…de shíhou)` structure means “When…”. This is a very common pattern.
• Example 9:
  • 对不起，我今天心情不好，我们改天再去看电影吧。
  • Pinyin: Duìbùqǐ, wǒ jīntiān xīnqíng bù hǎo, wǒmen gǎitiān zài qù kàn diànyǐng ba.
  • English: Sorry, I'm not in a good mood today, let's go to the movies another day.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of using the phrase to politely decline an invitation.
• Example 10:
  • 吃了顿好吃的，我心情好多了。
  • Pinyin: Chīle dùn hǎochī de, wǒ xīnqíng hǎo duō le.
  • English: After eating a delicious meal, my mood is much better.
  • Analysis: This is the opposite, showing how `心情` can be modified by `好多了` (hǎo duō le), meaning “much better.” This highlights the core word `心情`.

• Mistake 1: Using it for physical illness.
  • A common mistake for English speakers is to translate “I don't feel good” directly. `心情不好` is only for emotional states. If you have a headache or a stomachache, you are physically unwell.
  • Incorrect: 我头疼，心情不好。 (Wǒ tóuténg, xīnqíng bù hǎo.)
  • Correct: 我头疼，不舒服。 (Wǒ tóuténg, bù shūfu.)
  • Use `不舒服 (bù shūfu)` for any kind of physical discomfort or illness.
• Mistake 2: Confusing it with more specific emotions.
  • `心情不好` is a general state. If you want to be more specific, use a different word. Think of it as a bucket that can hold many different negative feelings.
  • General bad mood: 他今天心情不好。(Tā jīntiān xīnqíng bù hǎo.) - He's in a bad mood today.
  • Sadness (e.g., about bad news): 听到这个消息，他很难过。(Tīng dào zhège xiāoxī, tā hěn nánguò.) - Hearing this news, he was very sad.
  • Anger (e.g., after an argument): 跟他吵了一架，我很生气。(Gēn tā chǎole yī jià, wǒ hěn shēngqì.) - After arguing with him, I'm very angry.
  • Heartbreak (e.g., after a breakup): 他们分手了，她非常伤心。(Tāmen fēnshǒu le, tā fēicháng shāngxīn.) - They broke up, she is absolutely heartbroken.

• `心情 (xīnqíng)` - The root noun meaning “mood” or “state of mind.” Can be good (`心情好`) or bad (`心情不好`).
• `不舒服 (bù shūfu)` - The crucial counterpart for physical states. Means “uncomfortable” or “unwell.”
• `难过 (nánguò)` - More specific than `心情不好`; means “sad” or “difficult to bear.”
• `伤心 (shāngxīn)` - Stronger than `难过`; means “heartbroken,” “grieved,” or “deeply sad.”
• `生气 (shēngqì)` - A specific negative emotion: “to be angry,” “to take offense.”
• `开心 (kāixīn)` - A common antonym, meaning “happy,” “joyful.” Literally “to open the heart.”
• `烦 (fán)` - Annoyed, vexed, bothered. A very common reason one might have a `心情不好`.
• `郁闷 (yùmèn)` - A deeper, more depressive feeling of being gloomy, downcast, or stifled. It's a heavy, pent-up kind of bad mood.
• `情绪 (qíngxù)` - A slightly more formal or psychological term for “emotion,” “mood,” or “frame of mind.” E.g., `情绪不稳定` (qíngxù bù wěndìng) - emotionally unstable.