放心
to feel relieved; rest assured
fàngxīn
What does 放心 mean?
放心 (fàngxīn) literally means 'to put one's heart down' — to stop worrying, feel reassured, or trust that things will be fine. It functions as a verb / verb-object phrase rather than an adjective: you say 放心吧 ('rest assured / don't worry') as a one-word reply, or 你放心，我一定会做好 ('rest easy, I'll definitely do it well'). It also takes objects via 对 — 我对他很放心 ('I have full confidence in him').
The negative is 不放心 ('to feel uneasy / not trust'), used a lot by Chinese parents: 妈妈不放心 ('Mom can't stop worrying'). Compared with English 'don't worry,' 放心 specifically transfers trust — you're handing your worry to the other person, telling them you believe in the outcome.
Character breakdown
to put down; to release; to let go
heart; mind; feeling
Memory hook: 放 ('put down') + 心 ('heart') — to set your heart down, the literal image of letting go of worry.
Example sentences
你放心吧，我会照顾好他的。
Nǐ fàngxīn ba, wǒ huì zhàogu hǎo tā de.
Don't worry, I'll take good care of him.
spoken
妈妈不放心我一个人去。
Māma bú fàngxīn wǒ yí ge rén qù.
Mom isn't comfortable with me going alone.
spoken
请放心，我们一定按时完成。
Qǐng fàngxīn, wǒmen yídìng ànshí wánchéng.
Please rest assured — we'll finish on time.
formal
孩子考上了大学，他们终于放心了。
Háizi kǎo shàng le dàxué, tāmen zhōngyú fàngxīn le.
The child got into university, so they were finally able to relax.
neutral
我对你的工作很放心。
Wǒ duì nǐ de gōngzuò hěn fàngxīn.
I have full confidence in your work.
neutral
Common phrases with 放心
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放心 appears in 1 podcast episode at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
安心 ('feel at peace / settle one's mind') overlaps with 放心 but emphasizes inner calm and focus — 安心工作 'work with peace of mind.' 放心 emphasizes the release of worry about a specific situation or person.
别担心 is the direct 'don't worry,' addressing someone's anxiety. 放心 transfers trust — it tells them you've got it handled. Often used together: 别担心，放心吧。
Don't confuse 放心 with
担心 is the opposite — 'to worry.' 我很担心他 = 'I'm very worried about him'; 我对他很放心 = 'I have full confidence in him.' Same structure, opposite feelings.
小心 means 'be careful / watch out.' Both end in 心 but have different roles. 路上小心 = 'be careful on the road'; 你放心 = 'don't worry.'
开心 means 'happy / cheerful.' 放心 means 'reassured.' You can be 开心 without being