心诚则灵
心诚则灵 (xīn chéng zé líng) literally means “a sincere heart achieves the divine” and expresses “genuine sincerity brings results; a faithful heart makes wishes come true”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: xin cheng ze ling, xin cheng ze ling,心诚则灵 meaning, 心诚则灵 in english
Genuine sincerity brings results; a faithful heart makes wishes come true
Pronunciation: xīn chéng zé líng Literal meaning: A sincere heart achieves the divine
Origin & Usage
This idiom states that the heart (心), when sincere (诚), then (则) achieves spiritual efficacy (灵). It originates from Buddhist devotional practice, where worshippers are taught that sincere prayer brings genuine results. The concept also connects to Confucian ideas in the Classic of Rites (礼记) about 'rectifying the heart' (正心) and 'making intentions sincere' (诚意) as foundations for self-cultivation. In Ang Lee's 2000 film 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', the character Lo (罗小虎) uses this idiom when recounting a desert legend to Jen Yu: '真心的，就会实现。我问过汉人，他们说是——心诚则灵。' (If it's from the heart, it will come true. I asked the Han people, they call it — a faithful heart makes wishes come true.) Modern usage extends beyond religion to mean that genuine sincerity and wholehearted commitment in any endeavor will bring results.
Examples
English: "She believed that if she studied with genuine dedication, results would follow — a sincere heart achieves the divine."
Chinese: 真心的，就会实现。我问过汉人，他们说是——心诚则灵。
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 心诚则灵 mean in English?
心诚则灵 (xīn chéng zé líng) literally translates to “A sincere heart achieves the divine” and is used to express “Genuine sincerity brings results; a faithful heart makes wishes come true”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 心诚则灵 used?
Situation: She believed that if she studied with genuine dedication, results would follow — a sincere heart achieves the divine.
What is the pinyin for 心诚则灵?
The pinyin pronunciation for 心诚则灵 is “xīn chéng zé líng”.