Meanings of 操心
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About 操心
Podcast: 操心
Podcast: 操心
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AI Study Notes for 操心
担心 (dān xīn) vs 操心 (cāo xīn): use 担心 when expressing worry about one's own feelings or situations, while 操心 implies taking on concern for others' issues.
Imagine a person (操) with hands (心) over their heart, symbolizing how they physically feel the weight of their worries. The character '操' resembles a person holding something tightly, while '心' represents the heart, linking the idea of worry to heartfelt concern.
操心 is typically used in informal settings and can express both genuine concern and excessive worry. A common mistake is to use it in overly formal contexts or to confuse it with similar phrases that imply different levels of concern. For example, saying '我不想操心' (I don't want to worry) is correct, but '我不想关心' (I don't want to care) has a different nuance.
As an HSK 5 vocabulary word,操心 connects with other words around emotional states and responsibilities, such as 担心 (dān xīn, to worry). Students should focus on how it is used in various contexts, including formal vs. informal situations.
In Chinese culture, showing concern for others is often seen as a virtue. The phrase can reflect the collectivist nature of society, where worrying about family or friends is common and expected.
Learners often confuse 操心 with other terms like 关心 (guān xīn, to care about), which can lead to saying '我很关心我的工作' instead of '我在操心我的工作' when emphasizing worry.
Pronunciation of 操心
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Component Characters
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Grammar Patterns of 操心
操心 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Complete the Sentence
父母时时刻刻都在为孩子____。
Parents worry about their children at all times.
Example Sentences for 操心 (3)
Cultural Notes for 操心
In Chinese culture, showing concern for others is often seen as a virtue. The phrase can reflect the collectivist nature of society, where worrying about family or friends is common and expected.
Frequently Asked Questions about 操心
No, 操心 implies a sense of concern or responsibility, so it should only be used when you genuinely care.