小心
xiǎoxīn · HSK 2
to be careful; to take care
⚠️ 小心 = small + heart; keep your heart small and careful
Decomposition: 小 (xiǎo, small) + 心 (xīn, heart/mind). A small, careful heart is a cautious one — used as a warning like beware or watch out. Also a common standalone caution sign.
小 — three small strokes around a central vertical
小 is a pictograph originally showing three tiny dots or specks, suggesting small particles or grains. Over time the dots became stylized strokes flanking a central line. The core meaning 'small' has stayed remarkably stable from oracle bone script to today.
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.