主心骨

zhǔxīngǔ
noun #34,791

Meanings

  1. 1 backbone
  2. 2 mainstay
  3. 3 pillar (of support)
  4. 4 one's own firm judgment

Examples

Bàba shì wǒmen jiā de zhǔxīngǔ.
Dad is the backbone of our family.
Yùdào shìqing tā zǒngshì méiyǒu zhǔxīngǔ.
Whenever something happens, she has no firm judgment of her own.

Tips

memory
Literally 'main-heart-bone' — the central spine that holds someone or a group together. Use it both for the person who keeps a team steady and for an individual's inner conviction.

Stroke Order

zhǔ
xīn