一心一意
yī xīn yī yì · HSK 7
bent on
❤️ 一心一意 = one (一) + heart (心) + one (一) + mind/intent (意): one heart, one mind
Doubling 一 (one) around 心 (heart) and 意 (intent) stresses total unity of feeling and thought: every bit of heart and mind aimed at one thing. Hence single-minded, wholly devoted, bent on one goal.
一 — single horizontal stroke
一 is one of the simplest pictographs in Chinese, depicting a single horizontal line to represent the number one. It has retained essentially the same form since oracle bone script over 3,000 years ago. By extension it also means 'first,' 'whole,' or 'same.'
心 — pictograph of a heart with chambers and aorta
心 is a pictograph showing a stylized heart, with strokes representing the organ's chambers and the aorta at the top. Originally meaning the physical heart, it broadened to cover mind, feelings, and intentions, since ancient Chinese thought located thinking and emotion in the heart.
一 — single horizontal stroke
一 is one of the simplest pictographs in Chinese, depicting a single horizontal line to represent the number one. It has retained essentially the same form since oracle bone script over 3,000 years ago. By extension it also means 'first,' 'whole,' or 'same.'