How do you pronounce 刻骨铭心?

刻骨铭心 is pronounced as "kè gǔ míng xīn" in Mandarin Chinese.

刻骨铭心

Q: What does 刻骨铭心 mean?

刻骨铭心 (kè gǔ míng xīn) literally means "Carve bone inscribe heart" and metaphorically means "Deeply and permanently affected". It belongs to the Life Philosophy category of Chinese idioms.

Q: When is 刻骨铭心 used?

刻骨铭心 is used when The refugee's experiences of war left indelible memories that shaped his entire life.

刻骨铭心 (kè gǔ míng xīn) literally means “carve bone inscribe heart” and expresses “deeply and permanently affected”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.

Also searched as: ke gu ming xin, ke gu ming xin,刻骨铭心 meaning, 刻骨铭心 in english

Deeply and permanently affected

Pronunciation: kè gǔ míng xīn Literal meaning: Carve bone inscribe heart

Origin & Usage

This profound idiom describes experiences so intense they seem carved (刻) into one's bones (骨) and inscribed (铭) in the heart (心), emerging from Han Dynasty ancestral worship practices, where important family events were literally carved into bone tokens for remembrance. The phrase gained emotional resonance through Tang Dynasty poetry, particularly in works describing profound grief or love. The specific pairing of bones (representing physical permanence) with heart (emotional core) emphasized how certain experiences transform both body and spirit. Modern usage describes formative experiences that fundamentally alter one's identity - from profound trauma to transformative love - suggesting memories that remain perpetually vivid and influential.

Examples

English: "The refugee's experiences of war left indelible memories that shaped his entire life"

Chinese: 难民的战争经历留下了难以磨灭的记忆，塑造了他的一生

Related Chinese Idioms

Similar idioms about life philosophy

一波三折

yī bō sān zhé

Many twists and turns

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改邪归正

gǎi xié guī zhèng

Return to righteousness

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好逸恶劳

hào yì wù láo

Love ease, hate work

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物极必反

wù jí bì fǎn

Extremes lead to reversal

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塞翁失马

sài wēng shī mǎ

Misfortune might be a blessing

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近水楼台

jìn shuǐ lóu tái

Advantage from close connections

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夜郎自大

yè láng zì dà

Overestimate oneself

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因果报应

yīn guǒ bào yìng

Actions have consequences

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does 刻骨铭心 mean in English?

刻骨铭心 (kè gǔ míng xīn) literally translates to “Carve bone inscribe heart” and is used to express “Deeply and permanently affected”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.