神情
shénqíng · HSK 5
facial expression
😐 神 = spirit + 情 = feeling; spirit-feeling shows on the face
神 (spirit/expression) + 情 (feeling/emotion). The compound names the spirit-feeling that surfaces as a facial expression. Same 神 as 精神 (spirit); same 情 as 感情 (feelings).
神 — 示 (altar/spirit) + 申 (lightning, phonetic)
神 combines 示, depicting an altar associated with rituals and spirits, with 申, originally a pictograph of lightning streaking across the sky. Ancient people saw lightning as a manifestation of divine power, so 申 contributes both sound and the idea of awe-inspiring force. Together they mean 'spirit' or 'god'.
情 — heart radical 忄 + 青 (qīng)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The heart radical 忄 signals that the meaning involves feelings or inner states, while 青 supplies the sound 'qing'. Originally referring to genuine feelings or emotion arising from the heart, 情 expanded to cover sentiment, affection, and circumstances or situations more broadly.