xīn lǐ
in the heart; at heart
Practice writing with stroke order guidance, audio pronunciation, and interactive exercises in our mobile app.
Step-by-step stroke order animations
Native speaker audio pronunciation
Interactive writing recognition
表面 (biǎomiàn)
surface
外表 (wàibiǎo)
appearance
The Chinese word 心里 (xīnlǐ) is composed of two characters: 心 (xīn), meaning "heart" or "mind", and 里 (lǐ), meaning "inside" or "within". Together, they literally mean "inside the heart" or "in the mind". This compound word is used to express a person's thoughts, feelings, or intentions. For example, the sentence 我心里很高兴 (wǒ xīnlǐ hěn gāoxìng) means "I am very happy inside", or "I am very happy in my heart".The word 心里 can also be used to refer to a person's conscience or moral compass. For example, the sentence 我心里很不安 (wǒ xīnlǐ hěn bù'ān) means "I feel very uneasy inside", or "I feel very guilty".In addition to its literal meaning, 心里 can also be used in a more figurative sense to refer to a person's innermost thoughts or feelings. For example, the sentence 我心里很清楚 (wǒ xīnlǐ hěn qīngchǔ) means "I know very clearly in my heart", or "I know very clearly what I want".The word 心里 is a common and versatile word in Chinese, and it is important for HSK learners to understand its meaning and usage.