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| 费心 [2025/08/04 20:31] – created xiaoer | 费心 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== fèi xīn: 费心 - To go to a lot of trouble; To put a lot of thought and effort into something ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** 费心, fei xin, feixin meaning, how to use feixin, Chinese polite expression, thank you for your trouble, Chinese gratitude, thoughtful, to put in effort, 操心 vs 费心, 辛苦 vs 费心 | |
| * **Summary:** Learn the meaning of **费心 (fèi xīn)**, a crucial Chinese term for expressing gratitude for someone's thoughtful effort and care. This guide explains how **费心** is used to thank someone for going to great trouble, distinguishing it from similar words like `麻烦 (máfan)` and `辛苦 (xīnkǔ)`. Discover its cultural significance and see practical examples to use it correctly in conversation. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** fèi xīn | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Verb | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** To expend mental energy and effort on behalf of someone or something. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** **费心 (fèi xīn)** literally translates to "spending the heart/mind." It's a polite and warm expression used to acknowledge the mental effort, care, and thoughtfulness someone has put into a task for you. It's more than just "trouble"; it's about recognizing the valuable mental and emotional energy they invested. It is most often used when expressing deep gratitude. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **费 (fèi):** To spend, to expend, to consume, or a fee/cost. Think of spending resources—this could be money (费用 - fèiyòng), time, or in this case, mental energy. | |
| * **心 (xīn):** Heart, mind, or center. In Chinese philosophy, the heart (心) is the seat of both emotion and thought. | |
| The combination **费心 (fèi xīn)** beautifully captures the idea of "spending one's mental energy" or "investing one's heart" into a matter. It implies a deeper level of care and consideration than simple physical labor. | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| In Chinese culture, acknowledging the efforts of others is a cornerstone of politeness and building good relationships (关系 - guānxi). Simply saying "thank you" (谢谢 - xièxie) can sometimes feel insufficient, especially when someone has gone out of their way for you. | |
| Using **费心 (fèi xīn)** demonstrates a higher level of social awareness. It shows that you not only appreciate the result but also recognize and value the unseen process: the planning, thinking, and caring that went into the action. | |
| **Comparison to Western Culture:** | |
| The English phrase "Thanks for going to the trouble" is a close equivalent, but it can sometimes carry a slight connotation of apology, as if you've caused an inconvenience. **费心 (fèi xīn)**, however, is almost exclusively positive and appreciative. It focuses on the giver's generosity of spirit and thoughtfulness rather than the receiver's imposition. It's less "Sorry to be a bother" and more "I'm deeply touched by the care you've shown." | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| **费心** is common in both formal and informal situations, but always carries a sense of sincerity and respect. | |
| * **Expressing Gratitude:** This is its most frequent use, often in the pattern `让您费心了 (ràng nín fèi xīn le)` which means "I've made you go to so much trouble/put in so much effort." It's a standard, polite way to thank hosts, teachers, colleagues, or anyone who has helped you in a thoughtful way. | |
| * **Making Polite Requests:** When asking for a favor that requires significant thought or management, you can use **费心** to soften the request and show you understand the burden. For example, "这件事还要麻烦您多费心。" (This matter will require you to put in a lot of extra effort). | |
| * **Describing Dedication:** It can also be used to describe someone's dedication to a task, often with an adverb like `煞费苦心 (shà fèi kǔ xīn)` which means to take great pains or rack one's brains. | |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | |
| * **Example 1:** | |
| * 为了我的事，**让您费心了**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wèile wǒ de shì, **ràng nín fèi xīn le**. | |
| * English: I've made you go to so much trouble for my affairs. | |
| * Analysis: A classic, polite, and essential phrase for thanking someone who has helped you with a complex issue, like paperwork or finding a job. `您 (nín)` makes it very respectful. | |
| * **Example 2:** | |
| * 谢谢你送我的礼物，你太**费心**了！ | |
| * Pinyin: Xièxie nǐ sòng wǒ de lǐwù, nǐ tài **fèi xīn** le! | |
| * English: Thank you for the gift, you're too thoughtful! (Literally: you've spent too much heart/mind). | |
| * Analysis: Perfect for when you receive a gift that is clearly well-thought-out and personal. It acknowledges the thought behind the gift, not just the gift itself. | |
| * **Example 3:** | |
| * 孩子的教育问题，真是**让**父母**费心**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Háizi de jiàoyù wèntí, zhēnshi **ràng** fùmǔ **fèi xīn**. | |
| * English: The issue of a child's education really makes parents put in a lot of effort and worry. | |
| * Analysis: Here, `费心` is used to describe a situation that requires continuous mental and emotional labor. It's not about a single act of help but a long-term responsibility. | |
| * **Example 4:** | |
| * 这个项目的设计方案，他**费**了不少**心**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhège xiàngmù de shèjì fāng'àn, tā **fèi** le bùshǎo **xīn**. | |
| * English: He put a great deal of thought into the design plan for this project. | |
| * Analysis: This shows `费心` can be split. `费了不少心 (fèi le bùshǎo xīn)` emphasizes the large quantity of mental effort invested. | |
| * **Example 5:** | |
| * 我老板要我安排这次会议，挺**费心**的。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wǒ lǎobǎn yào wǒ ānpái zhè cì huìyì, tǐng **fèi xīn** de. | |
| * English: My boss wants me to organize this conference; it's quite a lot of work (that requires a lot of thought). | |
| * Analysis: Used to describe a task as being mentally taxing or requiring careful planning. It implies complexity and the need for attention to detail. | |
| * **Example 6:** | |
| * 照顾生病的家人，他真是**费心费力**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhàogù shēngbìng de jiārén, tā zhēnshi **fèi xīn fèi lì**. | |
| * English: Taking care of his sick family member, he really expended both mental and physical energy. | |
| * Analysis: The four-character phrase `费心费力 (fèi xīn fèi lì)` is very common. It combines mental effort (`费心`) with physical effort (`费力`) to describe a task that is completely draining. | |
| * **Example 7:** | |
| * 这孩子的婚事，我真是**费尽了心**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhè háizi de hūnshì, wǒ zhēnshi **fèi jìn le xīn**. | |
| * English: For this child's marriage, I have truly exhausted all my mental energy (put my heart and soul into it). | |
| * Analysis: `费尽了心 (fèi jìn le xīn)` is a stronger version, implying that one has used up all their mental resources on a matter. It conveys a sense of great effort, sometimes with a hint of exhaustion. | |
| * **Example 8:** | |
| * 这件事，还要**多费心**跟进了。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhè jiàn shì, hái yào **duō fèi xīn** gēnjìn le. | |
| * English: For this matter, we'll still need to put in more effort to follow up. | |
| * Analysis: A common phrase in a business or work context. It's a polite way of saying "this requires continued attention and careful management." | |
| * **Example 9:** | |
| * 王老师，感谢您一直以来的教导，您**费心**了。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wáng lǎoshī, gǎnxiè nín yīzhí yǐlái de jiàodǎo, nín **fèi xīn** le. | |
| * English: Teacher Wang, thank you for your guidance all this time. You've gone to so much trouble for us. | |
| * Analysis: A perfect and respectful way for a student to thank a teacher, acknowledging the teacher's dedication and care beyond just classroom instruction. | |
| * **Example 10:** | |
| * A: 我帮你把所有的文件都整理好了。 (Wǒ bāng nǐ bǎ suǒyǒu de wénjiàn dōu zhěnglǐ hǎo le.) - I've helped you organize all the documents. | |
| * B: 哇，太感谢了！真是**让你费心了**！ (Wa, tài gǎnxiè le! Zhēnshi **ràng nǐ fèi xīn le**!) - Wow, thank you so much! I really made you go to a lot of trouble! | |
| * Analysis: This conversational exchange shows a natural reaction. The task (organizing documents) isn't just physical; it requires thought and care, making `费心` the appropriate response. | |
| ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== | |
| * **`费心 (fèi xīn)` vs. `麻烦 (máfan)`:** This is a key distinction. | |
| * `麻烦 (máfan)` means "to trouble" or "bother." It refers to the **inconvenience** caused. You can `麻烦` someone for a small favor, like passing the salt. | |
| * `费心 (fèi xīn)` refers to the **thoughtful mental effort** invested. You wouldn't use `费心` for passing the salt. Use it for things that required care, planning, or consideration. | |
| * **Incorrect:** 帮我拿一下那本书，让你费心了。(For helping me grab that book, you've put in so much thought.) -> **Correct:** 麻烦你了 (máfan nǐ le). | |
| * **`费心 (fèi xīn)` vs. `辛苦 (xīnkǔ)`:** | |
| * `辛苦 (xīnkǔ)` means "hard" or "laborious" and usually refers to **physical or general toil**. You would say `辛苦了 (xīn kǔ le)` to movers, a taxi driver, or someone who just finished a long day of work. | |
| * `费心 (fèi xīn)` is for **mental labor**. If someone planned a surprise party for you, you'd thank them with `费心了` because it required thought, not just physical work. If they both planned it and did all the cooking and cleaning, you could say `又费心又辛苦！` (yòu fèi xīn yòu xīn kǔ!) - "It was both thoughtful and hard work!" | |
| * **Not the same as "to worry":** `费心` is about expending effort, while "to worry" is `担心 (dānxīn)`. | |
| * `费心`: I'm putting thought into planning your trip. (我为你计划旅行很费心。) | |
| * `担心`: I'm worried you will miss your flight. (我担心你会误机。) | |
| ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== | |
| * [[麻烦]] (máfan) - To trouble; troublesome. Focuses on the inconvenience caused, often for smaller matters. | |
| * [[辛苦]] (xīnkǔ) - Hard; laborious; to work hard. Focuses on physical toil or general hardship. | |
| * [[操心]] (cāoxīn) - To worry about; to take great pains over. Similar to `费心` but implies more of a burden of responsibility and anxiety, like a parent `操心`s for a child's future. | |
| * [[用心]] (yòngxīn) - Attentive; diligent; to do with care. Describes the quality of having applied one's mind. `费心` is the action of expending that effort, often for others. | |
| * [[费力]] (fèilì) - To expend physical strength; strenuous. The physical counterpart to the mental effort of `费心`. | |
| * [[感激]] (gǎnjī) - To be grateful; to feel thankful. A strong, formal emotion of gratitude. You can feel `感激` because someone `费心` for you. | |
| * [[担心]] (dānxīn) - To worry; to feel anxious. An emotional state of unease, distinct from the productive effort of `费心`. | |
| * [[煞费苦心]] (shà fèi kǔ xīn) - An idiom meaning to take great pains; to rack one's brains. A very strong form of `费心`. | |