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小心翼翼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
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English
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小心翼翼
xiǎoxīnyìyì
cautious and solemn (idiom); very carefully
HSK 7, i, 41 strokes, rank #11628, Very Hard
小心翼翼
xiǎoxīnyìyì
prudent
HSK 7, i, 41 strokes, rank #11628, Very Hard
小心翼翼
xiǎoxīnyìyì
gently and cautiously
HSK 7, i, 41 strokes, rank #11628, Very Hard
xiǎoxīnyìyì(xiao3xin1yi4yi4)xiao xin yi yi T3
1cautious and solemn (idiom); very carefully
2prudent
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March 24, 2026
小心翼翼xiǎoxīnyìyì(xiao3xin1yi4yi4)
小心翼翼 is an idiom that describes a state of being extremely careful and cautious in one’s actions. It is often used in contexts where precision and carefulness are required, such as handling fragile objects or addressing sensitive situations.
Strokes41Frequency#11628DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, being cautious and respectful is highly valued, especially in social situations. The phrase 小心翼翼 reflects the importance of carefulness in interpersonal relationships and decision-making.
Memory tip
Imagine a tiny bird (小) perched on a delicate branch (心), flapping its wings (翼) ever so gently (翼) to avoid breaking it. This image of a cautious little bird helps you remember both the meaning and the pronunciation of 小心翼翼.
Meanings of 小心翼翼
xiǎoxīnyìyì(xiao3xin1yi4yi4)
1cautious and solemn (idiom); very carefully
2prudent
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About 小心翼翼
小心翼翼Simplified
41Strokes
—Radical
成语chéngyǔidiom (id.)Part of Speech
#11628Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 小心翼翼
Podcast: 小心翼翼
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AI study notes for 小心翼翼
Quick Contrast
谨慎 (jǐnshèn) vs 小心翼翼: Use 小心翼翼 when emphasizing extreme caution in delicate situations, while 谨慎 is more general and can refer to carefulness in broader contexts.
Usage Notes
This idiom is used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more commonly found in written language. Common collocations include 小心翼翼地对待 (to treat something with extreme caution) or 小心翼翼地行事 (to act very carefully). Be mindful of the tone when using it in conversation; it can convey seriousness.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 idiom, 小心翼翼 connects well with other idioms that convey caution or attentiveness. Focus on understanding its usage in sentences to grasp the nuance of carefulness in various contexts, which is essential at this level.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 小心翼翼 with just 小心, thinking they are interchangeable. Remember, 小心翼翼 conveys a deeper level of carefulness, so use it when the situation requires extra caution.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 小心翼翼
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How to say cautious and solemn (idiom); very carefully in Chinese
“cautious and solemn (idiom); very carefully” in Chinese is小心翼翼xiǎoxīnyìyì
小心翼翼 is an idiom that describes a state of being extremely careful and cautious in one’s actions. It is often used in contexts where precision and carefulness are required, such as handling fragile objects or addressing sensitive situations.
When to use 小心翼翼
This idiom is used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more commonly found in written language. Common collocations include 小心翼翼地对待 (to treat something with extreme caution) or 小心翼翼地行事 (to act very carefully). Be mindful of the tone when using it in conversation; it can convey seriousness.
小心翼翼 or something close to it
谨慎 (jǐnshèn) vs 小心翼翼: Use 小心翼翼 when emphasizing extreme caution in delicate situations, while 谨慎 is more general and can refer to carefulness in broader contexts.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 小心翼翼 with just 小心, thinking they are interchangeable. Remember, 小心翼翼 conveys a deeper level of carefulness, so use it when the situation requires extra caution.
Write 小心翼翼
小
心
翼
翼
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Grammar patterns of 小心翼翼
小心翼翼 functions as a four-character idiom (成语). Treat it as a fixed unit; it usually plays the role of a single adjective, adverb, or noun phrase inside the larger sentence. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
他____地跨过残余的隔墙。
He moved carefully over what remained of partition walls.
Example sentences for 小心翼翼 (10)
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1
他小心翼翼地跨过残余的隔墙。
tā xiǎoxīnyìyì dì kuà guò cán yú de gé qiáng。
He moved carefully over what remained of partition walls.
2
他开始放入意大利面，小心翼翼地将面一缕缕分开。
tā kāishǐ fàng rù yì dà lì miàn， xiǎoxīnyìyì dì jiāng miàn yī lǚ lǚ fēnkāi。
He began to feed in the spaghetti, carefully separating the strands.
3
整个午饭期间，他一直在小心翼翼地回避房子的话题。
zhěnggè wǔfàn qījiān， tā yìzhí zài xiǎoxīnyìyì dì huíbì fángzi dehuà tí。
All through lunch he had carefully avoided the subject of the house.
4
她选了低速挡小心翼翼地沿小径下行。
tā xuǎn le dī sù dǎng xiǎoxīnyìyì dì yán xiǎo jìng xiàxíng。
She selected a low gear and started down the track carefully.
5
她小心翼翼地把枪擦拭干净，放进枪盒里锁好。
tā xiǎoxīnyìyì dì bǎ qiāng cā shì gānjìng， fàng jìn qiāng hé lǐ suǒ hǎo。
She meticulously cleaned the gun and locked it away in its case.
6
戴维小心翼翼地往前挪，从边缘向下张望。
dài wéi xiǎoxīnyìyì dì wǎngqián nuó， cóng biānyuán xiàng xià zhāng wàng。
David moved cautiously forward and looked over the edge.
7
她一只手小心翼翼地往下伸,一直摸到底部.
tā yī zhī shǒu xiǎoxīnyìyì dì wǎng xià shēn, yìzhí mō dàodǐ bù.
Gingerly, she put her hand in deeper, to the bottom.
8
我小心翼翼避免犯太多的愚蠢错误。
wǒ xiǎoxīnyìyì bìmiǎn fàn tài duō de yúchǔn cuòwù。
I am rather chary of making too many idiotic mistakes.
9
本小心翼翼地把车开进车库时从他们身边经过。
běn xiǎoxīnyìyì dì bǎ chē kāi jìn chēkù shí cóng tāmen shēnbiān jīngguò。
Ben drove past them, nosing his car into the garage.
10
购物的人们小心翼翼地择路避开由于连续下雨形成的水坑。
gòuwù de rénmen xiǎoxīnyìyì dì zé lù bì kāi yóuyú liánxù xiàyǔ xíngchéng de shuǐ kēng。
Shoppers picked their way through puddles caused by persistent rain.
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Frequently asked questions about 小心翼翼
Use 小心翼翼 when you want to emphasize a higher degree of caution or meticulousness than just being careful.
Yes, while it's more common in written contexts, you can use it in spoken language as well, especially to emphasize carefulness.
Yes, expressions like 'with kid gloves' or 'tiptoeing around' convey a similar sense of caution.
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