灰心丧气

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: huī xīn sàng qì
• English Translation: To lose heart / To be utterly dejected
• Idiom Composition: 「灰」（Ash; representing a cold, extinguished state of passion or will.）＋「心」（Heart or mind.）＋「丧」（To lose or be deprived of.）＋「气」（Spirit, morale, or vital energy.）
• Meaning: To lose confidence and become discouraged or dejected in the face of failure or setbacks. It describes a state where one's will is extinguished like cold ashes and their spirit is lost.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「灰心丧气」 contains the following nuances:

• Loss of Confidence: It emphasizes not just sadness, but the breaking of one's will and hope for the future.
• Cause and Effect: The term usually implies a specific trigger, such as a failure or criticism, that results in this demoralized psychological state.

3. Usage

「灰心丧气」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Reacting to failure: Used to describe the state of mind after failing an exam, making a mistake at work, or facing a setback.
  • Example:「虽然这次实验失败了，但我们不能灰心丧气，要总结经验重头再来。」
    （Although the experiment failed this time, we must not lose heart; we should summarize the experience and start over.）
• Words of encouragement: Often used with negative markers like 'don't' (不要 or 别) to inspire others to stay strong.
  • Example:「遇到这点小挫折就灰心丧气，以后怎么成大事？」
    （If you get discouraged over such a small setback, how can you achieve great things in the future?）
• Describing a state of being: Used to objectively describe someone who has lost their vitality and appears gloomy.
  • Example:「自从失业后，他整天灰心丧气，对什么都提不起兴趣。」
    （Since losing his job, he has been dejected all day, showing no interest in anything.）

Additional Examples:

1. 不要因为一时的困难而灰心丧气，坚持下去就是胜利。
   （Don't lose heart because of temporary difficulties; persistence leads to victory.）
2. 看着队友们一个个灰心丧气的样子，队长决定给大家打气。
   （Seeing his teammates looking utterly discouraged, the captain decided to give them a pep talk.）
3. 他并没有因为批评而灰心丧气，反而更加努力了。
   （He didn't get disheartened by the criticism; instead, he worked even harder.）
4. 连续的阴雨天气让人感到有些灰心丧气。
   （The continuous rainy weather makes people feel somewhat depressed and low-spirited.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• The idiom originates from the book Shen Yin Yu (呻吟语) by the Ming Dynasty thinker Lü Kun (吕坤). It was originally used to caution those with weak resolve who give up easily due to the opinions of others.
• The image of 灰心 (huī xīn) relates to the expression 心如死灰 (xīn rú sǐ huī), meaning 'a heart like dead ashes.' In Chinese culture, extinguished fire or cold ash symbolizes the loss of passion or desire. While sometimes used in Buddhist or Taoist contexts to mean 'transcending worldly desires,' in 灰心丧气 (huī xīn sàng qì), it carries a purely negative connotation of being demoralized.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 垂头丧气 (chuí tóu sàng qì): To hang one's head in dismay; focuses more on the physical appearance and posture of being dejected.link
  • 心灰意冷 (xīn huī yì lěng): To be disheartened and disillusioned; emphasizes a deep, internal sense of despair.
  • 无精打采 (wú jīng dǎ cǎi): To be listless or in low spirits.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 信心百倍 (xìn xīn bǎi bèi): To be brimming with confidence; literally 'confidence multiplied a hundred times.'
  • 意气风发 (yì qì fēng fā): To be high-spirited and full of mettle; describing a state of great vigor and enthusiasm.
  • 朝气蓬勃 (zhāo qì péng bó): Full of youthful vigor and vitality.link
  • 兴高采烈 (xìng gāo cǎi liè): To be in high spirits and joyful.link

6. Summary

灰心丧气 (huī xīn sàng qì) describes the state of losing motivation and confidence due to difficulties. Combining 灰心 (huī xīn), meaning 'heart turning to ash,' and 丧气 (sàng qì), meaning 'losing spirit,' it is frequently used in encouraging contexts, often in the negative form 'don't lose heart' (不要灰心丧气).