Chinese word

心安理得

Pronunciation

Pinyinxīn ān lǐ dé

Meaning

  • idiomhave a clear conscience

Example

把真相说清楚以后，她才心安理得。bǎ zhēn xiàng shuō qīng chǔ yǐ hòu tā cái xīn ān lǐ dé

After explaining the truth clearly, she finally had a clear conscience.

Illustration for 心安理得 (have a clear conscience)

More examples

向朋友道歉并赔偿后，他才心安理得。xiàng péng yǒu dào qiàn bìng péi cháng hòu tā cái xīn ān lǐ dé

After apologizing to his friend and paying compensation, he finally had a clear conscience.

Core concept

Inner peace comes when a person can look back on an action without a moral burden.

Common phrases

  • 感到心安理得gǎn dào xīn ān lǐ dé

    feel free of guilt

  • 心安理得地睡觉xīn ān lǐ dé dì shuì jiào

    sleep with a clear conscience

  • 让家人心安理得ràng jiā rén xīn ān lǐ dé

    give one's family a clear conscience

Similar words

问心无愧wèn xīn wú kuì: Being able to look back at one's conduct without finding anything that causes shame.
无愧于心wú kuì yú xīn: Having nothing on one's conscience and therefore feeling inwardly light and relieved.
光明磊落guāng míng lěi luò: Showing honest and straightforward conduct without concealment or hidden motives.
光明正大guāng míng zhèng dà: Using clear, legitimate methods and maintaining an upright, aboveboard attitude.

Definition in Chinese

内心无愧，觉得安心，毫无后悔或负罪感。nèi xīn wú kuì jué de ān xīn háo wú hòu huǐ huò fù zuì gǎn

Word origin

The idiom pairs 心 (xīn, "heart or mind") and 安 (ān, "at peace") with 理 (lǐ, "reason") and 得 (dé, "to have"), linking emotional ease to conduct that seems justified.

Usage tips

  • The expression can describe a speaker's own calm confidence, but applied to someone else it may suggest that the person feels justified too easily.

Opposites

  • 问心有愧wèn xīn yǒu kuìhave a guilty conscienceidiom
  • 愧疚难当kuì jiù nán dāngbe weighed down by guiltidiom

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