心灰意冷
心灰意冷 (xīn huī yì lěng) literally means “heart turned to ash, will gone cold” and expresses “disheartened and despondent”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: xin hui yi leng, xin hui yi leng,心灰意冷 meaning, 心灰意冷 in english
Disheartened and despondent
Pronunciation: xīn huī yì lěng Literal meaning: Heart turned to ash, will gone cold
Origin & Usage
Heart (心) turned to ash (灰), will (意) gone cold (冷). Both halves are about heat leaving rather than pain arriving, and that is the state being described: not grief, which is active, but the flatness after it, when the thing that used to motivate you no longer produces any response. People who have stopped trying — after a business failure, a relationship, or one rejection too many — with the implication that the giving up is settled rather than momentary.
Examples
English: "After the disappointing news, he felt utterly defeated and lost all motivation."
Chinese: 在失望的消息后，他感到完全沮丧，失去了所有的动力。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
冷冷清清
lěng lěng qīng qīng
Deserted and lifeless atmosphere
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心猿意马
xīn yuán yì mǎ
Restless, unfocused mind
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称心如意
chèn xīn rú yì
Perfectly satisfying every expectation
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一心一意
yī xīn yī yì
Wholeheartedly; with undivided attention
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粗心大意
cū xīn dà yì
Careless; negligent
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吉祥如意
jí xiáng rú yì
Good fortune and fulfilment
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万事如意
wàn shì rú yì
May everything go the way you want
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美意延年
měi yì yán nián
Cheerfulness brings a long life
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 心灰意冷 mean in English?
心灰意冷 (xīn huī yì lěng) literally translates to “Heart turned to ash, will gone cold” and is used to express “Disheartened and despondent”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 心灰意冷 used?
Situation: After the disappointing news, he felt utterly defeated and lost all motivation.
What is the pinyin for 心灰意冷?
The pinyin pronunciation for 心灰意冷 is “xīn huī yì lěng”.