心猿意马
心猿意马 (xīn yuán yì mǎ) literally means “heart monkey mind horse” and expresses “restless, unfocused mind”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: xin yuan yi ma, xin yuan yi ma,心猿意马 meaning, 心猿意马 in english
Restless, unfocused mind
Pronunciation: xīn yuán yì mǎ Literal meaning: Heart monkey mind horse
Origin & Usage
The heart (心) as a monkey (猿), the mind (意) as a horse (马). The pairing comes out of Buddhist writing on meditation, where the two animals name two different failures: the monkey will not stay on one branch, and the horse will not stay where it is put. Chinese kept both. It describes attention that cannot be held rather than laziness, and it is used of a student who is trying and of anyone whose thoughts are somewhere they should not be.
Examples
English: "The student couldn't focus on studying with so many distractions"
Chinese: 这个学生在如此多的干扰下无法专注于学习
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
刻骨铭心
kè gǔ míng xīn
Deeply and permanently affected
Learn more →
掉以轻心
diào yǐ qīng xīn
Lower one's guard
Learn more →
口是心非
kǒu shì xīn fēi
Words differ from thoughts
Learn more →
呕心沥血
ǒu xīn lì xuè
Invest utmost effort and emotion
Learn more →
胆大心细
dǎn dà xīn xì
Courage balanced with careful attention
Learn more →
称心如意
chèn xīn rú yì
Perfectly satisfying every expectation
Learn more →
一心一意
yī xīn yī yì
Wholeheartedly; with undivided attention
Learn more →
粗心大意
cū xīn dà yì
Careless; negligent
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 心猿意马 mean in English?
心猿意马 (xīn yuán yì mǎ) literally translates to “Heart monkey mind horse” and is used to express “Restless, unfocused mind”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 心猿意马 used?
Situation: The student couldn't focus on studying with so many distractions
What is the pinyin for 心猿意马?
The pinyin pronunciation for 心猿意马 is “xīn yuán yì mǎ”.
Curated Lists Featuring 心猿意马
12 Chinese Horse Idioms (马) — What Horses Symbolize in China
Master Chinese idioms featuring the horse (马), symbolizing speed, success, and perseverance.
15 Heartfelt Chinese Idioms With Heart (心)
Explore Chinese idioms featuring the heart (心), expressing emotions, intentions, and inner feelings.
10 Romantic Chinese Idioms for Qixi Festival (七夕)
Romantic Chinese idioms for Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day), celebrating love and devotion.