(zài yì) - to mind, to care about in Mandarin
zàiyìTraditional: 在意
Translation
to mind, to care about
Word origin
在 (zài, to be at) plus 意 (yì, mind, intention), so to hold something in mind. 意 is itself 音 (sound) over 心 (heart), the thought under the words.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 在 (zài, to be at) + 意 (yì, mind, intention)
Stroke order
在
意
Examples
。
He cares a great deal about what other people think of him.
，。
It is a small thing; I do not mind.
。
Do not take what he said too much to heart.
。
She does not care in the least about winning or losing.
，。
He does not seem to have taken any notice of what I said.
在意 (zài yì) is to mind something, to let it matter to you. It takes a whole clause as easily as a noun: 他在意别人怎么看他 is "he cares what people think of him", with no preposition needed to hook the clause on.
The negative is much the commoner half. 我不在意 and 一点也不在意 are how you wave something away, and 别在意 is the standard reassurance after somebody apologises for a trifle. Its close relative 在乎 is stronger and more emotional - 我不在乎 can be defiant in a way 我不在意 is not.
The trap for an English speaker is the word "mind" in a request. "Do you mind if I sit here?" is 你介意我坐这儿吗, with 介意, because that sentence is asking permission. 在意 is about what weighs on you, not about whether you consent, so 你在意我坐这儿吗 asks the odd question of whether my choice of seat is preying on your thoughts.
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在意: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "在意" (to mind, to care about): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 45.