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| 爱心 [2025/08/10 11:11] – created xiaoer | 爱心 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== àixīn: 爱心 - Loving Heart, Compassion ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** aixin, 爱心, meaning of aixin, aixin Chinese, Chinese word for compassion, loving heart in Chinese, Chinese charity, what is aixin, learn Chinese compassion, HSK 4 vocabulary | |
| * **Summary:** Learn the meaning of **爱心 (àixīn)**, a fundamental Chinese word representing a "loving heart," compassion, and kindness in action. This guide breaks down the characters 爱 (love) and 心 (heart), explores its cultural significance, and provides 10 practical example sentences. Understand how **爱心 (àixīn)** differs from simple "love" and is used in contexts of charity, volunteering, and describing a person's benevolent character in modern China. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** ài xīn | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Noun | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** A heart full of love and compassion, especially the kind that motivates acts of charity and kindness towards others. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** **爱心 (àixīn)** is more than just the feeling of love; it's a tangible, active compassion directed at the community, animals, or anyone in need. Think of it as the "love" that fuels good deeds. If you see someone helping a stray cat, volunteering at a shelter, or donating to a cause, you would say they have **爱心 (àixīn)**. It's the quality of being a kind, caring, and charitable person. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **爱 (ài):** This character means "love" or "to love." The traditional form (愛) famously contains the character **心 (xīn)**, or "heart," right in the middle, visually showing that love comes from the heart. | |
| * **心 (xīn):** This character means "heart." It's used both literally for the organ and metaphorically for the center of one's feelings, mind, and spirit. | |
| * When combined, **爱心 (àixīn)** literally translates to "love-heart." It creates a single, powerful concept: a disposition or state of having a heart filled with compassionate love for others. | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| * **爱心 (àixīn)** is a highly praised social virtue in modern Chinese society. It embodies a sense of social responsibility and collective well-being. While ancient philosophies like Confucianism emphasized `仁 (rén)` (benevolence), **爱心 (àixīn)** is its modern, everyday manifestation. It's the engine behind community fundraisers, disaster relief efforts, and everyday acts of kindness. | |
| * **Comparison to Western Concepts:** **爱心 (àixīn)** is similar to the English words "compassion" or "charity," but with a key difference. | |
| * **Compassion** is a feeling of sympathy. **爱心 (àixīn)** is also a feeling, but it strongly implies an //active//, giving nature. It's compassion put into practice. | |
| * **Charity** often refers to the formal act or organization (e.g., "donating to a charity"). **爱心 (àixīn)** is the //personal quality// or the //internal motivation// that drives a person to perform charitable acts. You do something //out of// **爱心 (àixīn)**. A person doesn't "have charity," but they can "have **爱心**" (**有爱心**). | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| * **Describing People:** The most common use is to describe someone as a kind and caring person. The phrase **有爱心 (yǒu àixīn)**, "to have a loving heart," is a very high compliment. | |
| * **Charity and Volunteering:** The term is central to all forms of philanthropy. Events are often called "**爱心**活动 (àixīn huódòng)" (charity events), and donations are called "**爱心**捐款 (àixīn juānkuǎn)" (charitable donations). The act of donating is often phrased as "**献爱心** (xiàn àixīn)," which literally means "to offer up one's loving heart." | |
| * **Formality:** **爱心 (àixīn)** is used across all levels of formality. It appears in government speeches about social welfare, in company slogans about corporate responsibility, and in casual conversations when praising a friend's kindness. Its connotation is universally positive. | |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | |
| * **Example 1:** | |
| * 她是一个很**有爱心**的老师，总是耐心地帮助学生。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā shì yí ge hěn **yǒu àixīn** de lǎoshī, zǒngshì nàixīn de bāngzhù xuéshēng. | |
| * English: She is a very compassionate teacher; she always patiently helps her students. | |
| * Analysis: Here, **有爱心 (yǒu àixīn)** is used as an adjective phrase to describe the teacher's character. It's a common and very positive way to praise someone. | |
| * **Example 2:** | |
| * 这次活动收到了很多**爱心**捐款。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhè cì huódòng shōudào le hěn duō **àixīn** juānkuǎn. | |
| * English: This event received many charitable donations. | |
| * Analysis: **爱心 (àixīn)** functions here like an adjective, modifying "donations" (`捐款`) to specify their charitable nature. This is very common in news reports or announcements about fundraising. | |
| * **Example 3:** | |
| * 谢谢你的**爱心**，这些小猫现在有家了。 | |
| * Pinyin: Xièxiè nǐ de **àixīn**, zhèxiē xiǎo māo xiànzài yǒu jiā le. | |
| * English: Thank you for your compassion; these kittens have a home now. | |
| * Analysis: This sentence shows **爱心 (àixīn)** as a possession—"your compassion." It directly links the person's quality of **爱心** to a positive outcome. | |
| * **Example 4:** | |
| * 很多年轻人利用假期做志愿者，为社会**献爱心**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Hěn duō niánqīngrén lìyòng jiàqī zuò zhìyuànzhě, wèi shèhuì **xiàn àixīn**. | |
| * English: Many young people use their vacation time to be volunteers, showing their love and care for society. | |
| * Analysis: **献爱心 (xiàn àixīn)** is a set verb-object phrase meaning "to offer/dedicate one's loving heart." It's a slightly more formal way to say "do a charitable act." | |
| * **Example 5:** | |
| * 他的行为充满了**爱心**和善良。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā de xíngwéi chōngmǎn le **àixīn** hé shànliáng. | |
| * English: His actions were full of compassion and kindness. | |
| * Analysis: This shows **爱心 (àixīn)** as an abstract concept that can "fill" something, like one's actions. It's often paired with `善良 (shànliáng)`, meaning "kindness." | |
| * **Example 6:** | |
| * 这家公司每年都会举办**爱心**义卖活动。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī měi nián dōu huì jǔbàn **àixīn** yìmài huódòng. | |
| * English: This company holds a charity bazaar every year. | |
| * Analysis: **爱心 (àixīn)** is used to describe the purpose of the event (`义卖活动` - charity sale). | |
| * **Example 7:** | |
| * 我们要培养孩子的**爱心**，让他们学会关爱他人。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wǒmen yào péiyǎng háizi de **àixīn**, ràng tāmen xuéhuì guān'ài tārén. | |
| * English: We need to cultivate children's compassion, letting them learn to care for others. | |
| * Analysis: This highlights that **爱心 (àixīn)** is seen as a quality that can and should be nurtured from a young age. | |
| * **Example 8:** | |
| * 只要人人都献出一份**爱心**，世界将变成美好的人间。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhǐyào rén rén dōu xiàn chū yí fèn **àixīn**, shìjiè jiāng biànchéng měihǎo de rénjiān. | |
| * English: If everyone contributes a bit of love and compassion, the world will become a beautiful place. | |
| * Analysis: A famous line from a classic Chinese song. It shows **爱心 (àixīn)** as something quantifiable with measure words like `一份 (yí fèn)`, "a portion of." | |
| * **Example 9:** | |
| * 什么是真正的**爱心**？是行动，而不仅仅是同情。 | |
| * Pinyin: Shénme shì zhēnzhèng de **àixīn**? Shì xíngdòng, ér bù jǐnjǐn shì tóngqíng. | |
| * English: What is true compassion? It is action, not just sympathy. | |
| * Analysis: This sentence philosophically defines **爱心 (àixīn)** by contrasting it with mere sympathy (`同情 tóngqíng`), emphasizing its active nature. | |
| * **Example 10:** | |
| * 他对小动物特别**有爱心**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā duì xiǎo dòngwù tèbié **yǒu àixīn**. | |
| * English: He is especially compassionate towards small animals. | |
| * Analysis: This shows that **爱心 (àixīn)** is not limited to humans. The structure `对 (duì)... 有爱心 (yǒu àixīn)` means "to have compassion towards..." | |
| ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== | |
| * **`爱心 (àixīn)` vs. `爱情 (àiqíng)`:** This is the most critical distinction for learners. | |
| * **爱心 (àixīn)** is compassionate, altruistic love for humanity, animals, or society. It is **NOT** romantic. | |
| * **爱情 (àiqíng)** specifically means romantic love between partners. | |
| * **Incorrect:** 我对你有爱心。(Wǒ duì nǐ yǒu àixīn.) This would sound very strange, like you see your partner as a charity case. | |
| * **Correct:** 我爱你。(Wǒ ài nǐ.) or 我们的爱情很美。(Wǒmen de àiqíng hěn měi.) | |
| * **`爱心 (àixīn)` is a Noun, Not a Verb:** You cannot "**爱心**" someone. It is a quality you possess or an abstract thing you can give. | |
| * **Incorrect:** 我爱心你。(Wǒ àixīn nǐ.) | |
| * **Correct:** 我**有爱心**。(Wǒ **yǒu àixīn**.) - "I have compassion." | |
| * **Correct:** 我想**献爱心**。(Wǒ xiǎng **xiàn àixīn**.) - "I want to make a charitable contribution." | |
| * **"False Friend" with English "Love":** While derived from "love," **爱心 (àixīn)** has a much narrower meaning. You use the English word "love" for your family, partner, hobbies, and food. **爱心 (àixīn)** is almost exclusively used for selfless, compassionate love towards those in need or the community at large. | |
| ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== | |
| * [[爱]] (ài) - The general character and word for "love." **爱心** is a specific type of **爱**. | |
| * [[爱情]] (àiqíng) - Romantic love. Thematic antonym to **爱心**'s altruistic love. | |
| * [[善良]] (shànliáng) - Kind, good-hearted. A personal quality that is a core component of having **爱心**. | |
| * [[同情心]] (tóngqíngxīn) - Sympathy, pity. The feeling of sympathy for someone's misfortune. **爱心** is the motivation to act on that feeling. | |
| * [[慈善]] (císhàn) - Charity, philanthropy. The formal, often institutional, practice or system that **爱心** fuels. | |
| * [[献爱心]] (xiàn àixīn) - A common set phrase meaning "to make a charitable contribution" or "to show one's compassion." | |
| * [[志愿者]] (zhìyuànzhě) - Volunteer. A person whose actions are a typical expression of **爱心**. | |
| * [[捐款]] (juānkuǎn) - To donate money. One of the most common actions resulting from **爱心**. | |
| * [[关爱]] (guān'ài) - To care for, to show concern for. A verb describing an action often motivated by **爱心**. | |