# 养心



## yuechu

大家好！

I recently heard the following sentence on a Chinese TV series:
(A father is talking to his son) "这哪儿是让我养心哪"。
Does anyone know what 养心 means?

Thanks!


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## Skatinginbc

More context is needed, otherwise it is ambiguous.  There are a few possibilities, including:
(1) 靜養心神 (e.g., 養心湯 = 安神湯; 養心丸 = 安神丸)
(2) 修養心性 (e.g., 養心殿;《孟子·盡心下》養心莫善於寡欲)
(3) 保養心臟 (e.g., 養心操 = 健心操)


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## yuechu

Hi, Skatinginbc! Thanks for your reply! 
I think that they were talking about having the son (who is in his late 20s or early 30s, I think) 相亲 and the son didn't want to try dating any of the girls he was mentioning. (Would it make sense in this context?)


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## Skatinginbc

I guess it is (1) 靜養心神 (to soothe one's nerves, to ease one's mind)
你不相親, 這哪兒能讓我靜心安神哪?


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## yuechu

Oh, that would make sense then. Thanks, Skatinginbc!


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## albert_laosong

don't worry about it, it's not a word you hear commonly in everyday conversations, actually I'm not sure why they use this word in the line. 
I think words like "养心”,"靜心安神" are mostly used in medical contexts, and in above context maybe "安心” is more appropriate:
这不孝的儿子，他这哪里是让我安心，这不是让我糟心嘛
你不相親, 這怎么能讓我安心哪?

安心 is similar to 放心.


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## yuechu

Good to know! Thanks, Albert_laosong!


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## SuperXW

albert_laosong said:


> don't worry about it, it's not a word you hear commonly in everyday conversations, actually I'm not sure why they use this word in the line.
> ...


I think it is normal to appear in the a drama. It must have been mentioned somewhere before. It's a common plot just we cannot go through all the lines.
For example, days ago, the son did tell his father to 养心. Later the father complains that the son's behavior contradict to that.
In daily life, when people use the word casually, they often won't distinguish the three meanings given by Skating. Most healthy practices can benefit all three at the same time. 养心 is supposed to be good for both your mind and your body.


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## albert_laosong

Yeah, I agree, it must have been alrady mentioned prior to that line in the TV show, otherwise it's quite strange the father would say something like that. 
It's just that I don't really know the exact meaning of 养心. I saw it before in medicine names like 养心安神丸, but in everyday usage if someone says 养心，I don't know if it means to protect from heart disease in some way, or it just means the same as 修心养性 or just 养生. And in everyday life I don't remember I've ever heard anyone using that word, or maybe I've forgotten.


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## theresagqp1986

My guess is that 养心 is probably a word from some Chinese dialect(s), but I'm not sure which one -- thinking of some similar compound words in my dialect. Chinese dialects contribute a great deal of vocabulary and expressions to putonghua.
However, it is easy to understand what it means given the context, even though you don't speak the dialect. The sentence could be interpreted as "you are not making my life easy (as you are not letting me have a peaceful mind)!" as the father is clearly complaining by using this sentence.


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## yuechu

Thanks, SuperXW, Albert_laosong and Theresagqp1986!


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## selfzhouxinrong

It’s quite easy。

【心】 means 【heart】。
but in ancient China, People believe the heart has a much higher status than other organs.
People think that man's thinking、 emotions、 wisdom、mind、 etc， all thought activities depend on heart.
and People find If the heart is attacked man dead immediately.
and the heart happens to be almost in the center of the body.
so The ancients believed that it was extremely important to protect the heart、give it enough nutrition 、give it enough rest and make it pleased.

【养】 means A mother takes care of her babies and makes them strong.

so【养心】。can you get it ？


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## yuechu

OK! Thanks, Selfzhouxinrong!


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