心病

xīnbìng

noun HSK 7-9 #27,992

Meanings

1 a worry that weighs on one's mind; a nagging concern
2 a sore point; something one is sensitive about

Characters

illness; disease

Literally 'heart disease' — but not the medical kind. It means an emotional burden or worry that eats at you, like a sickness of the soul.

Examples

这件事一直是她的心病。

Zhè jiàn shì yìzhí shì tā de xīnbìng.

This matter has always been a weight on her mind.

心病还需心药医。

Xīnbìng hái xū xīn yào yī.

A troubled heart needs a remedy for the heart.

Tips

culture

心病还需心药医 (a heart ailment needs heart medicine) is a famous proverb meaning psychological problems need psychological solutions — you can't fix emotional pain with external remedies. It appears in the classic novel Dream of the Red Chamber.

Stroke Order

心 xīn

病 bìng