Chinese word

挂念

Pronunciation

Pinyinguà niàn

Meaning

  • verbworry about

Example

别再为他挂念了，他已经好了。bié zài wèi tā guà niàn le tā yǐ jīng hǎo le

Don't worry about him anymore; he's already better.

Illustration for 挂念 (worry about)

More examples

她在国外多年，常常挂念故乡。tā zài guó wài duō nián cháng cháng guà niàn gù xiāng

She has been abroad for many years and often misses her hometown.

Core concept

A person or matter stays mentally present, drawing steady concern and affectionate remembrance.

Common phrases

  • 挂念故乡guà niàn gù xiāng

    miss one's hometown

  • 挂念孩子guà niàn hái zi

    worry about one's children

Similar words

担心dān xīn: Feels uneasy about the chance that something bad may happen.
惦记diàn jì: Often keeps a person or thing in mind and thinks of it.
想念xiǎng niàn: Thinks deeply about someone because of a wish to see that person.

Definition in Chinese

把某人或某事放在心上，时常为其担心或思念。bǎ mǒu rén huò mǒu shì fàng zài xīn shàng shí cháng wèi qí dān xīn huò sī niàn

Word origin

The literal parts 挂 (guà, "to hang") and 念 (niàn, "thought") suggest keeping a thought suspended in the mind rather than letting it pass.

Usage tips

  • The pattern 为 (wèi, "for") + a person or matter + 挂念 (guàniàn, "to worry about; to miss") marks what the feeling is directed toward.

Other meanings

  • missverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word