小心 (xiǎoxīn) · to be careful

小心 (xiǎoxīn) means “to be careful; to look out”. It is written with 2 characters: 小 (small) + 心 (heart). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).

How 小心 is built

The characters

小 xiǎo · small

What 小 is made of

亅 — hook
八bā — eight

Origin hint: Dividing 八 by a line 亅 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

心 xīn · heart

What 心 is made of

心 is not built from smaller parts; it is written with 4 strokes.

Origin hint: A heart (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

路上小心！Lù shang xiǎoxīn!Be careful on the way!

小心，别碰到头。Xiǎoxīn, bié pèngdào tóu.Careful, don't bump your head.

Questions about 小心

What does 小心 mean?

小心 (xiǎoxīn) means “to be careful; to look out”.

How do you pronounce 小心?

小心 is pronounced xiǎoxīn.

Which HSK level is 小心?

小心 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 3.

Related words

Learn 小心 with its group

It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 60: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

Open the group