操心

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操心 [2025/08/04 20:30] – created xiaoer操心 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1
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-====== cāoxīn: 操心 - To Worry About, To Be Concerned About, To Take Pains Over ====== +
-===== Quick Summary ===== +
-  * **Keywords:** caoxin, 操心, 操心 meaning, Chinese word for worry, to be concerned in Chinese, take pains over, manage and worry, caoxin vs danxin, Chinese family values, HSK 5 vocabulary. +
-  * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese verb **操心 (cāoxīn)**, which means "to worry about" or "to be concerned about." Unlike the simple English word "worry," `操心` implies an active, hands-on concern, often involving taking responsibility and managing a situation, particularly for one's family, children, or important projects. This page explores its cultural significance, practical usage, and key differences from similar words like `担心 (dānxīn)`. +
-===== Core Meaning ===== +
-  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** cāo xīn +
-  * **Part of Speech:** Verb +
-  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 +
-  * **Concise Definition:** To worry about and take trouble/pains over someone or something. +
-  * **In a Nutshell:** `操心` is not just a passive feeling of anxiety; it's an active verb of care. Think of it as "managing a worry." It describes the mental and often physical effort one expends when they are responsible for someone's well-being or the success of a task. It carries a sense of burden and duty, most commonly associated with parents caring for their children or a diligent manager overseeing a project. +
-===== Character Breakdown ===== +
-  * **操 (cāo):** The left part, `扌`, is the "hand" radical, indicating an action done with the hands. The right part provides the sound. The character's core meaning is to grasp, to hold, to operate, or to manage. +
-  * **心 (xīn):** This character is a pictogram of the human heart. It means "heart," "mind," or "center," representing thoughts and emotions. +
-  * The characters combine to literally mean "to grasp the heart" or "to operate with the heart." This vividly illustrates the concept: a concern has taken hold of your heart and mind, and you are actively engaged in handling it. +
-===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== +
-  * In Chinese culture, `操心` is deeply intertwined with family responsibility and Confucian values. It is considered a natural and expected part of being a parent, elder, or responsible person. Parents are expected to `操心` for their children's education, health, career, and even marriage, long into adulthood. A child who is well-behaved and successful is described as `省心 (shěngxīn)`—"saving the parents' worry." +
-  * **Comparison with Western Culture:** `操心` can be compared to the English idea of "being a concerned parent," but it's more deeply ingrained as a cultural virtue. While excessive `操心` might be criticized in the West as "helicopter parenting" or "micromanaging," a moderate and expected level of `操心` is seen in China as a fundamental expression of love, duty, and care. Not to `操心` for one's family could be perceived as cold or irresponsible. The term itself carries the weight of this cultural expectation. +
-===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== +
-  * **In the Family:** This is the most common context. Parents constantly `操心` about their children. A common phrase children tell their parents is `别为我操心了 (bié wèi wǒ cāoxīn le)`, meaning "Don't worry about me." +
-  * **At Work:** A dedicated manager or team leader will `操心` over the details of a project to ensure its success. It implies they are personally invested and taking pains to manage all aspects. +
-  * **Connotation:** The connotation of `操心` depends on perspective. +
-    * For the person doing it, it expresses their diligence and care, but also their burden (`我为这个家操碎了心 - Wǒ wèi zhège jiā cāo suì le xīn` - "I've worried myself sick over this family"). +
-    * For the person receiving it, it can be felt as love and support (`谢谢你为我操心 - Xièxiè nǐ wèi wǒ cāoxīn` - "Thank you for looking out for me/taking care of things for me"). +
-    * In excess, it can feel like meddling or nagging (`你别操心我的事！- Nǐ bié cāoxīn wǒ de shì!` - "Stop worrying about/meddling in my affairs!"). +
-===== Example Sentences ===== +
-  * **Example 1:** +
-    * 父母总是为孩子的学习**操心**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Fùmǔ zǒngshì wèi háizi de xuéxí **cāoxīn**. +
-    * English: Parents are always worried about their children's studies. +
-    * Analysis: This is a classic example. It implies the parents don't just feel anxious; they are actively involved, perhaps by hiring tutors, checking homework, and managing their child's schedule. +
-  * **Example 2:** +
-    * 你已经长大了，不用妈妈为你**操心**了。 +
-    * Pinyin: Nǐ yǐjīng zhǎng dà le, búyòng māma wèi nǐ **cāoxīn** le. +
-    * English: You're grown up now, Mom doesn't need to worry about you anymore. +
-    * Analysis: A common sentiment expressed by children to reassure their parents, asking them to relinquish the "burden" of active management over their lives. +
-  * **Example 3:** +
-    * 这件事您就别**操心**了，我来处理。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zhè jiàn shì nín jiù bié **cāoxīn** le, wǒ lái chǔlǐ. +
-    * English: Please don't worry about this matter, I'll handle it. +
-    * Analysis: Here, `操心` is linked directly to `处理` (to handle). It shows that `操心` is about management and problem-solving, not just feeling. The speaker is taking the responsibility away from the listener. +
-  * **Example 4:** +
-    * 他这个人就是爱**操心**，什么事都要管一管。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā zhège rén jiùshì ài **cāoxīn**, shénme shì dōu yào guǎn yi guǎn. +
-    * English: He's the type of person who just loves to worry about things; he has to have a hand in everything. +
-    * Analysis: This example shows the slightly negative connotation of `操心`. It can describe someone who is a worrier or a bit of a meddler (`管` means to manage/meddle). +
-  * **Example 5:** +
-    * 为了这个项目，他真是**操**碎了**心**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Wèile zhège xiàngmù, tā zhēnshi **cāo** suì le **xīn**. +
-    * English: For this project, he has truly worried himself to pieces. +
-    * Analysis: The phrase `操碎了心 (cāo suì le xīn)`, literally "to grasp and shatter the heart," is a common idiom that dramatically expresses the immense effort and mental toll taken. +
-  * **Example 6:** +
-    * 让你为我的事**操心**，真是不好意思。 +
-    * Pinyin: Ràng nǐ wèi wǒ de shì **cāoxīn**, zhēnshi bù hǎoyìsi. +
-    * English: I'm so sorry to make you worry/go to all this trouble over my affairs. +
-    * Analysis: This is a polite way to thank someone for their help and concern, acknowledging the effort they've expended on your behalf. +
-  * **Example 7:** +
-    * 孩子们都很懂事，让父母很省心，不用怎么**操心**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Háizimen dōu hěn dǒngshì, ràng fùmǔ hěn shěngxīn, búyòng zěnme **cāoxīn**. +
-    * English: The children are all very sensible, which saves their parents a lot of worry; they don't need to be very concerned. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence uses the antonym `省心 (shěngxīn)`, which literally means "to save the heart/mind," to highlight the meaning of `操心`. +
-  * **Example 8:** +
-    * 你与其**操心**这些小事，不如先完成主要任务。 +
-    * Pinyin: Nǐ yǔqí **cāoxīn** zhèxiē xiǎoshì, bùrú xiān wánchéng zhǔyào rènwù. +
-    * English: Rather than busying yourself with these minor details, you'd be better off finishing the main task first. +
-    * Analysis: This shows `操心` being used in the context of expending mental energy and effort on something, perhaps unnecessarily. +
-  * **Example 9:** +
-    * 只要你平安，我就不**操心**了。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zhǐyào nǐ píng'ān, wǒ jiù bù **cāoxīn** le. +
-    * English: As long as you are safe and sound, I won't worry. +
-    * Analysis: A simple and heartfelt expression, often from a parent or loved one, showing that their active concern is directly tied to the well-being of the other person. +
-  * **Example 10:** +
-    * 他是我们的老板，公司的每件事他都得**操心**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā shì wǒmen de lǎobǎn, gōngsī de měi jiàn shì tā dōu děi **cāoxīn**. +
-    * English: He is our boss, so he has to be concerned with/manage every single thing in the company. +
-    * Analysis: This highlights the connection between `操心` and responsibility (`责任`). It's part of his job to worry about and manage everything. +
-===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== +
-  * **`操心 (cāoxīn)` vs. `担心 (dānxīn)`:** This is the most critical distinction for learners. +
-    * **`担心 (dānxīn)`:** Is a general, internal feeling of anxiety or worry. It's passive. You can `担心` about the weather, a war in another country, or the future. +
-    * **`操心 (cāoxīn)`:** Is an active, responsible worry about something within your sphere of influence. It implies you are not just feeling anxious, but also thinking about solutions, managing details, and taking pains. +
-    * **Analogy:** If your child has a big exam, you `担心` they might fail (the emotion). You `操心` by making sure they study, eat well, and get enough sleep (the action + emotion). +
-  * **Incorrect Usage:** +
-    * **Wrong:** 我很**操心**世界和平。(Wǒ hěn **cāoxīn** shìjiè hépíng.) +
-    * **Why it's wrong:** You cannot personally manage "world peace." Your worry is purely an internal feeling. +
-    * **Correct:** 我很**担心**世界和平。(Wǒ hěn **dānxīn** shìjiè hépíng. - I am worried about world peace.) +
-  * **False Friend:** Do not treat `操心` as a direct equivalent of the English "to worry." Always remember the added layer of responsibility, management, and effort. It's closer to "to fret over and manage" or "to take pains for." +
-===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== +
-  * [[担心]] (dānxīn) - The general, more passive feeling of "to worry." The most common point of confusion with `操心`. +
-  * [[费心]] (fèixīn) - To go to a lot of trouble for someone; focuses more on the effort and trouble taken out of kindness. Very similar to `操心` but less about the burden of worry. +
-  * [[省心]] (shěngxīn) - Antonym. "To save worry." Describes a person or situation that is easy to manage and doesn't cause problems. +
-  * [[挂念]] (guàniàn) - To miss or be concerned about someone who is far away. It's an emotional longing and worry, less about active management. +
-  * [[发愁]] (fāchóu) - To worry or be anxious, especially because one feels there's no good solution to a problem. It implies a sense of helplessness. +
-  * [[管]] (guǎn) - To manage, control, or be in charge of. Excessive `操心` can lead to others feeling that you `管` too much (meddle). +
-  * [[责任]] (zérèn) - Responsibility. The feeling of `责任` is the primary driver for a person to `操心`. +
-  * [[劳神]] (láoshén) - To trouble somebody (to do something); to tax one's nerves. Similar to `费心`, it highlights the mental effort required. +
-  * [[费力]] (fèilì) - To expend effort; describes the physical or mental exertion, which is often a part of `操心`.+