Hanzi Sheets
How to write 小心 — "Be Careful / Watch Out" in Chinese
小心 (xiǎo xīn) is how you say "be careful / watch out" in Chinese. “Small heart” — the warning parents say a hundred times a day. Below is each character with its pinyin and meaning, plus a free tracing worksheet you can print in seconds.
小心 character by character
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning in this phrase |
|---|---|---|
| 小 | xiǎo | small |
| 心 | xīn | heart |
| 小心 | xiǎo xīn | be careful / watch out |
Using 小心
小 is “small” and 心 is “heart” — 小心 shrinks the heart: be careful. It is the warning word of childhood — 小心台阶 (“watch the step”), 小心车 (“watch for cars”), 小心烫 (“careful, it's hot”). Playgrounds and kitchens run on it.
The word is identical in Traditional Chinese. Beyond warnings, 小心 works as an adjective: 小心的孩子 (“a careful child”). Its opposite pair makes a tidy lesson: 小心 (careful) versus 粗心 (cū xīn, careless — “coarse heart”). Kids remember the two as heart-size opposites.
Pre-filled with 小心 in a tian grid with stroke-order strips. Add more words, pick a size, print.
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FAQ
How do parents use 小心?
As a quick warning: 小心！(“watch out!”) or with the hazard attached — 小心台阶 (mind the step), 小心烫 (careful, hot). It is urgent but not scolding.
What is the opposite of 小心?
粗心 (cū xīn) — “coarse heart”, meaning careless. 小心 (small heart = attentive) and 粗心 (coarse heart = sloppy) are a memorable antonym pair.
Is 小心 written differently in Traditional Chinese?
No — 小 and 心 are the same in both scripts.