小心翼翼
小心翼翼 (xiǎo xīn yì yì) literally means “careful, and solemnly attentive” and expresses “act with extreme caution and care”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: xiao xin yi yi, xiao xin yi yi,小心翼翼 meaning, 小心翼翼 in english
Act with extreme caution and care
Pronunciation: xiǎo xīn yì yì Literal meaning: Careful, and solemnly attentive
Origin & Usage
The Book of Songs uses it of King Wen: reverent and careful (小心翼翼) in his service. 翼翼 there means solemn and attentive rather than anything to do with wings, though the character is the one for a wing and the association is hard to shake off. In the classic it describes a religious attitude. Ordinary modern use has narrowed it to physical care — carrying something breakable, stepping on ice — and the reverence has thinned into caution.
Examples
English: "The restoration expert handled the ancient manuscript with extreme caution"
Chinese: 修复专家极其谨慎地处理这份古代手稿
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
掉以轻心
diào yǐ qīng xīn
Lower one's guard
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口是心非
kǒu shì xīn fēi
Words differ from thoughts
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呕心沥血
ǒu xīn lì xuè
Invest utmost effort and emotion
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刻骨铭心
kè gǔ míng xīn
Deeply and permanently affected
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心猿意马
xīn yuán yì mǎ
Restless, unfocused mind
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胆大心细
dǎn dà xīn xì
Courage balanced with careful attention
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心地善良
xīn dì shàn liáng
Fundamentally kind and virtuous character
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提心吊胆
tí xīn diào dǎn
Constant dread; unable to stop worrying
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 小心翼翼 mean in English?
小心翼翼 (xiǎo xīn yì yì) literally translates to “Careful, and solemnly attentive” and is used to express “Act with extreme caution and care”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 小心翼翼 used?
Situation: The restoration expert handled the ancient manuscript with extreme caution
What is the pinyin for 小心翼翼?
The pinyin pronunciation for 小心翼翼 is “xiǎo xīn yì yì”.