bōli xīn: 玻璃心 - Glass Heart, Oversensitive, Easily Offended

• Keywords: boli xin, 玻璃心, glass heart meaning, Chinese slang sensitive, what does boli xin mean, oversensitive in Chinese, easily offended Chinese, thin-skinned, Chinese internet slang, snowflake
• Summary: Learn the meaning of 玻璃心 (bōli xīn), a popular Chinese slang term that literally translates to “glass heart.” This page explores how 玻璃心 is used to describe someone who is overly sensitive, emotionally fragile, and easily offended by criticism. Discover its cultural significance in modern China, especially in internet culture, and learn how to use it correctly through numerous practical examples. Whether you're trying to understand online comments or everyday conversations, this guide will explain the nuances of this essential modern term.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bōli xīn
• Part of Speech: Noun (often used adjectivally)
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: A metaphor describing a person who is emotionally fragile, overly sensitive, and easily hurt by criticism or perceived slights.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine a heart made of delicate glass. The slightest tap—a joke, a critical comment, a different opinion—can cause it to crack or shatter. That's the image behind 玻璃心. It's a vivid way to describe someone who can't take criticism or adversity, often implying that their emotional reaction is excessive and unwarranted. It's the Chinese equivalent of saying someone is “thin-skinned” or a “snowflake,” but with its own unique cultural flavor.

• 玻 (bō): This character is almost exclusively used in the word for “glass.”
• 璃 (li): This character also means “glass” or “glaze” and is typically paired with 玻 to form 玻璃 (bōli).
• 心 (xīn): This character means “heart.” It's one of the most fundamental characters, representing not just the physical organ but also the center of emotion, thought, and mind.
• Together, 玻璃 (bōli) means “glass” and 心 (xīn) means “heart.” The combination 玻璃心 (bōli xīn) creates a powerful and intuitive metaphor: a “glass heart” that is fragile and easily broken.

玻璃心 has become a cornerstone of modern Chinese slang, particularly in the digital age. While it can be used in any context to describe a sensitive person, it has gained significant traction in online discourse, often with political and nationalistic undertones. It is frequently used by some netizens to criticize individuals (or even entire groups) who they feel are overreacting to comments or actions perceived as offensive to China. In this context, it's used to dismiss protests or complaints as a form of hypersensitivity. To compare, the Western term “snowflake” is similar, as both are derogatory terms for people deemed too sensitive and easily offended. However, 玻璃心 is unique in how it's often tied to feelings of wounded national pride or collective identity. Accusing a group of having a 玻璃心 is a way of saying their patriotic feelings are brittle and they cannot handle any international criticism, whether real or perceived. Beyond politics, it's a common term in everyday life to describe friends, family, or colleagues who take things too personally or can't handle constructive feedback.

玻璃心 is almost always used informally and carries a negative or teasing connotation. It's a term you'd use with friends or see in online comments, but rarely in a formal or professional setting unless you intend to be critical.

• As a Direct Accusation: Calling someone 玻璃心 is to directly criticize their overreaction. It's telling them to “toughen up.”
• As a Description: You can say someone “has a” 玻璃心 (有玻璃心) or “is” 玻璃心 (是玻璃心).
• On Social Media: It's rampant on platforms like Weibo (微博), Douyin (抖音), and Bilibili (哔哩哔哩). It's used in comment sections to shut down arguments or mock public figures and their fans.
• Self-Deprecating Humor: Someone might jokingly refer to themselves as 玻璃心 to preemptively apologize for being sensitive about a topic. For example, “Don't spoil the movie for me, I have a 玻璃心 about spoilers!”

• Example 1:
  • 我只是开了个玩笑，你别这么玻璃心啊！
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐshì kāile ge wánxiào, nǐ bié zhème bōli xīn a!
  • English: I was just joking, don't be so sensitive (don't have such a glass heart)!
  • Analysis: A very common, informal usage between friends. It's used to tell someone they are overreacting to a harmless comment.
• Example 2:
  • 他这个人有点玻璃心，你跟他说话要注意一点。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhège rén yǒudiǎn bōli xīn, nǐ gēn tā shuōhuà yào zhùyì yīdiǎn.
  • English: He's a bit of a glass heart, you should be a little more careful when you talk to him.
  • Analysis: Here, it's used as a descriptive warning. It describes a person's character trait to a third party. “有点 (yǒudiǎn)” softens the criticism slightly.
• Example 3:
  • 有些外国媒体一批评中国，一些网友的玻璃心就碎了一地。
  • Pinyin: Yǒuxiē wàiguó méitǐ yī pīpíng Zhōngguó, yīxiē wǎngyǒu de bōli xīn jiù suìle yī dì.
  • English: As soon as some foreign media criticize China, the glass hearts of some netizens shatter all over the floor.
  • Analysis: This sentence exemplifies the term's use in a socio-political context. “碎了一地 (suìle yī dì)” - “shattered all over the floor” - is a common and vivid extension of the metaphor.
• Example 4:
  • 老板批评了她几句，她就哭了，真是太玻璃心了。
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn pīpíngle tā jǐ jù, tā jiù kū le, zhēnshi tài bōli xīn le.
  • English: The boss criticized her a bit, and she started crying. She's really too oversensitive.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates a typical workplace or social scenario where someone is judged for being unable to handle negative feedback.
• Example 5:
  • 对不起，是我太玻璃心了，我不该为那件小事生气的。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, shì wǒ tài bōli xīn le, wǒ bù gāi wèi nà jiàn xiǎoshì shēngqì de.
  • English: I'm sorry, I was being too sensitive. I shouldn't have gotten angry over that little thing.
  • Analysis: An example of self-deprecation. The speaker is acknowledging that their emotional reaction was disproportional.
• Example 6:
  • 如果你连这点挫折都受不了，那你的心也太玻璃了。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ lián zhè diǎn cuòzhé dōu shòu bu liǎo, nà nǐ de xīn yě tài bōli le.
  • English: If you can't even handle this small setback, then your heart is too much like glass.
  • Analysis: Notice here that 心 (xīn) is separated from 玻璃 (bōli), but the meaning is identical. This shows a slightly more creative use of the phrase.
• Example 7:
  • 别跟粉丝争论，他们都是玻璃心，说一句偶像的不好就爆炸。
  • Pinyin: Bié gēn fěnsī zhēnglùn, tāmen dōu shì bōli xīn, shuō yījù ǒuxiàng de bù hǎo jiù bàozhà.
  • English: Don't argue with the fans, they all have glass hearts; say one bad thing about their idol and they'll explode.
  • Analysis: This highlights its use in fan culture and on the internet. It critiques the protective and sometimes aggressive nature of die-hard fans.
• Example 8:
  • 现在的孩子是不是都太玻璃心了？我们小时候哪有这么脆弱。
  • Pinyin: Xiànzài de háizi shì bu shì dōu tài bōli xīn le? Wǒmen xiǎoshíhou nǎ yǒu zhème cuìruò.
  • English: Are kids nowadays all too sensitive? We weren't this fragile when we were young.
  • Analysis: This sentence frames 玻璃心 within a generational comparison, a common complaint from older generations about the younger ones.
• Example 9:
  • 我不是玻璃心，我只是觉得你的批评方式很不尊重人。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bùshì bōli xīn, wǒ zhǐshì juéde nǐ de pīpíng fāngshì hěn bù zūnzhòng rén.
  • English: I don't have a glass heart, I just feel that your way of criticizing is very disrespectful.
  • Analysis: This is a defense against the accusation. It shows how someone might push back, reframing the issue from their sensitivity to the other person's rudeness.
• Example 10:
  • 这部电影可能会伤害到一些观众的玻璃心。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng kěnéng huì shānghài dào yīxiē guānzhòng de bōli xīn.
  • English: This movie might hurt the glass hearts of some audience members.
  • Analysis: This is a more detached, almost journalistic way of using the term, often as a content warning or a prediction about a controversial topic.

• 玻璃心 (bōli xīn) vs. 敏感 (mǐngǎn) - “Sensitive”: This is the most critical distinction for a learner. `敏感 (mǐngǎn)` means “sensitive” and is a neutral descriptor. You can say someone is sensitive to art (`对艺术很敏感`) or has sensitive skin (`皮肤很敏感`). While it can describe emotional sensitivity, it doesn't carry the strong negative judgment of 玻璃心. 玻璃心 is not just an observation; it's a criticism that implies weakness and an inappropriate level of reaction.
• Mistake: Using 玻璃心 to show sympathy. For example, saying “You are so 玻璃心, it must be hard for you” would be misunderstood. It would sound like you're saying, “You're so pathetic and over-sensitive, it must be hard for you.” To show sympathy, you would use a different phrase, like “辛苦你了” (xīnkǔ nǐ le - “this must be hard on you”).
• Connotation is Key: Never forget that 玻璃心 is informal and usually insulting or teasing. Using it in a serious, formal discussion or with a superior is highly inappropriate and would be seen as disrespectful.

• * 敏感 (mǐngǎn) - Sensitive. A much more neutral term for sensitivity than 玻璃心.
• * 脆弱 (cuìruò) - Fragile, weak. A broader term that can describe objects, systems, or a person's physical or emotional state. 玻璃心 is a specific type of emotional fragility.
• * 扎心 (zhā xīn) - Literally “to pierce the heart.” Describes a comment or situation that is painfully true or emotionally cutting. Something that would deeply affect a person with a 玻璃心.
• * 心态崩了 (xīntài bēng le) - “Mental state collapsed.” A popular slang phrase to describe the feeling of being completely overwhelmed or giving up, often after a “heart-piercing” event. A person with a 玻璃心 might experience this often.
• * 矫情 (jiáoqing) - Fussy, pretentious, overly sentimental. Describes someone who makes a big deal out of small things, often for attention. It overlaps with 玻璃心 but focuses more on being affected and insincere.
• * 小粉红 (xiǎo fěnhóng) - “Little Pink.” A term for young, fervent nationalists online, who are often accused by critics of having a 玻璃心 regarding any criticism of China.
• * 键盘侠 (jiànpán xiá) - “Keyboard Warrior.” Someone who is aggressive and argumentative online but may be timid in real life. Keyboard warriors often enjoy calling others 玻璃心.