操心

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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`.