细心 xìxīn meticulous
meticulous; careful; attentive
How to remember 细心: 细 slender + 心 heart = meticulous.
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How it is used
- Stative verb/adjective describing a person as attentive to detail and careful in what they do.
- 他做事很细心 (tā zuò shì hěn xìxīn) - he's meticulous in how he does things; often used to praise someone's character.
- Contrast with 小心 (xiǎoxīn, be careful/watch out) which warns against danger or mistakes, and 仔细 (zǐxì, thorough) which describes doing one specific task carefully.
- 细心 is a trait, not a command - you can't say 细心! to tell someone to be careful right now; use 小心 for that.