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自尊心 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
自尊心zìzūnxīnself-respectHSK 7, unknown, 22 strokes, rank #10722, Very Hard
自尊心zìzūnxīnself-esteemHSK 7, unknown, 22 strokes, rank #10722, Very Hard
自尊心zìzūnxīnegoHSK 7, unknown, 22 strokes, rank #10722, Very Hard
zìzūnxīn(zi4zun1xin1) T4
  1. 1self-respect
  2. 2self-esteem
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March 24, 2026

自尊心zìzūnxīn(zi4zun1xin1)

自尊心 (zìzūnxīn) refers to a person's sense of self-respect or self-esteem. It encompasses how one values oneself and can greatly influence behavior and emotional well-being. In contexts of personal development and interpersonal relationships, maintaining a healthy 自尊心 is crucial for confidence and assertiveness.

Strokes22Frequency#10722DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, self-respect is often tied to collective family honor, and one's 自尊心 can be influenced by social expectations and familial relationships. This can sometimes lead to pressures that differ from Western individualistic approaches to self-esteem.

Memory Tip

Imagine a proud peacock (自) flaunting its feathers (尊) while feeling a sense of inner peace (心). The peacock symbolizes self-respect, and its brilliant display reminds you of the importance of 自尊心 in one's life. The sound 'zi' can be linked to 'self', 'zun' sounds like 'zone' (your personal space of esteem), and 'xin' means 'heart'—bringing it all together.

Meanings of 自尊心

zìzūnxīn(zi4zun1xin1)
1self-respect
2self-esteem
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About 自尊心

自尊心Simplified
22Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 自尊心

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Podcast: 自尊心

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AI Study Notes for 自尊心

Quick Contrast

自信心 (zìxìnxīn) refers to self-confidence, focusing on belief in one's abilities, while 自尊心 emphasizes self-respect and personal worth.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 自尊心 with arrogance, as the former is about healthy self-worth while the latter is excessive pride. This term is more commonly used in formal contexts, so it may be less appropriate in casual conversations. Common collocations include '提高自尊心' (to enhance self-esteem) and '损害自尊心' (to damage self-esteem).

HSK Study Tips

Although 自尊心 is not an HSK level word, it can help learners understand concepts related to feelings and attitudes, which are essential at HSK 4 and above. Focus on how it relates to other emotional terms like 自信 (self-confidence) and 情感 (emotion) to build a broader vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 自尊心 with 自负 (arrogance). For example, saying '他很自尊心' (He is very self-respecting) should be corrected to '他很有自尊心' (He has a strong sense of self-respect) to accurately convey the meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 自尊心

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Component Characters

自zìfrom
HSK 46 strokes自
View full entry
尊zūnsenior
HSK 412 strokes寸
View full entry
心xīnheart
HSK 44 strokes心
View full entry

How to say self-respect in Chinese

“self-respect” in Chinese is自尊心zìzūnxīn

自尊心 (zìzūnxīn) refers to a person's sense of self-respect or self-esteem. It encompasses how one values oneself and can greatly influence behavior and emotional well-being. In contexts of personal development and interpersonal relationships, maintaining a healthy 自尊心 is crucial for confidence and assertiveness.

When to use 自尊心

Be careful not to confuse 自尊心 with arrogance, as the former is about healthy self-worth while the latter is excessive pride. This term is more commonly used in formal contexts, so it may be less appropriate in casual conversations. Common collocations include '提高自尊心' (to enhance self-esteem) and '损害自尊心' (to damage self-esteem).

自尊心 or something close to it

自信心 (zìxìnxīn) refers to self-confidence, focusing on belief in one's abilities, while 自尊心 emphasizes self-respect and personal worth.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 自尊心 with 自负 (arrogance). For example, saying '他很自尊心' (He is very self-respecting) should be corrected to '他很有自尊心' (He has a strong sense of self-respect) to accurately convey the meaning.

Write 自尊心

自
尊
心

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Frequently Asked Questions about 自尊心

自尊心 refers to self-respect or esteem, while 自信 means self-confidence, which is about belief in one's abilities.

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