Chinese word

耐心

Pronunciation

Pinyinnài xīn

Meaning

  • nounpatience

Example

遇到困难要有耐心。yù dào kùn nán yào yǒu nài xīn

You need to have patience when you encounter difficulties.

Illustration for 耐心 (patience)

More examples

学习新的乐器需要时间和耐心。xué xí xīn de yuè qì xū yào shí jiān hé nài xīn

Learning a new musical instrument requires time and patience.

Core concept

A calm reserve absorbs delay or difficulty and keeps frustration from stopping an effort.

Common phrases

  • 培养耐心péi yǎng nài xīn

    cultivate patience

  • 锻炼耐心duàn liàn nài xīn

    exercise patience

  • 失去耐心shī qù nài xīn

    lose patience

Similar words

忍耐rěn nài: The strength to quietly endure pain, hardship, or other unpleasant conditions.
毅力yì lì: Firm inner strength that keeps a person working toward a goal despite obstacles.

Definition in Chinese

在遇到阻碍或需要等待的事情时，不轻易放弃或发脾气，能够坚持下去的心理状态或品质。zài yù dào zǔ ài huò xū yào děng dài de shì qíng shí bù qīng yì fàng qì huò fā pí qì néng gòu jiān chí xià qù de xīn lǐ zhuàng tài huò pǐn zhì

Word origin

耐心 (nàixīn, "patience") is formed from 耐 (nài, "endure") + 心 (xīn, "heart"), so its structure connects enduring circumstances with controlling the heart.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, 耐心 (nàixīn, "patience") is useful not only for waiting but also for describing calm persistence with another person or a demanding activity.

Other meanings

  • endurancenoun
  • perseverancenoun

Opposites

  • 急性子jí xìng ziimpatient personnoun

Word lists with this word