Chinese word

野心

Pronunciation

Pinyinyě xīn

Meaning

  • nounambition

Example

别把他的野心全看作坏事。bié bǎ tā de yě xīn quán kàn zuò huài shì

Don't view all his ambition as a bad thing.

Illustration for 野心 (ambition)

More examples

他的野心既能让他进步，也可能伤害身边的人。tā de yě xīn jì néng ràng tā jìn bù yě kě néng shāng hài shēn biān de rén

His ambition can both help him improve and hurt the people around him.

Core concept

An intense inner push to rise higher in power, position, fame, or achievement, even when other people may bear the cost.

Common phrases

  • 野心勃勃yě xīn bó bó

    full of ambition

  • 放纵野心fàng zòng yě xīn

    give free rein to one's ambition

  • 抑制野心yì zhì yě xīn

    restrain one's ambition

Similar words

志向zhì xiàng: A general orientation toward a certain direction or goal.
抱负bào fù: A great ambition for the future that a person aims to realize.
上进心shàng jìn xīn: A strong urge for self-improvement and continued progress.

Definition in Chinese

指渴望得到更高的权力、地位、名利或成就的强烈欲望，常带有以自我为中心或不顾他人代价的意味。zhǐ kě wàng dé dào gèng gāo de quán lì dì wèi míng lì huò chéng jiù de qiáng liè yù wàng cháng dài yǒu yǐ zì wǒ wèi zhōng xīn huò bú gù tā rén dài jià de yì wèi

Word origin

In the compound 野心 (yěxīn, "ambition"), 野 (yě, "wild; beyond ordinary limits") modifies 心 (xīn, "desire; mind") to suggest a desire that is difficult to contain.

Usage tips

  • The word can describe strong determination without declaring it wholly bad, but its usual tone makes it less suitable for simple praise than many English-speaking learners expect.

Related words

  • 野心勃勃yě xīn bó bófull of ambitionidiom
  • 野心家yě xīn jiāperson with ambitionnoun

Word lists with this word