# 将心比心

jiāng xīn bǐ xīn

Put yourself in another person’s place

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Compare another’s heart with your own

**Traditional Chinese:** 將心比心

**Register:** Warm · conversational

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Use to encourage empathy before judging.

It asks for understanding, not agreement with every action.

## Behind the words

The saying uses one’s own feelings as a way to understand someone else’s. The paired hearts give empathy a concrete image.

The expression asks a person to use their own feelings to imagine another person's experience. It encourages empathy in decisions and everyday treatment. It does not mean assuming that everyone feels exactly as you do; imagining their position should be followed by listening to what they actually say.

## Examples

将心比心，如果是你遇到这种情况，也会着急。

### Traditional Chinese

將心比心，如果是你遇到這種情況，也會著急。

jiāng xīn bǐ xīn ， rú guǒ shì nǐ yù dào zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng ， yě huì zháo jí 。

Put yourself in their place; you would be worried in that situation too.

如果你也在排队等了一个小时，就能将心比心了。

### Traditional Chinese

如果你也在排隊等了一個小時，就能將心比心了。

rú guǒ nǐ yě zài pái duì děng le yí gè xiǎo shí ， jiù néng jiāng xīn bǐ xīn liǎo 。

If you had also waited in line for an hour, you could better understand how they feel.

处理投诉时，她总是先将心比心。

### Traditional Chinese

處理投訴時，她總是先將心比心。

chǔ lǐ tóu sù shí ， tā zǒng shì xiān jiāng xīn bǐ xīn 。

When handling complaints, she first tries to understand the customer's position.

大家将心比心，给刚搬来的邻居一点适应时间。

### Traditional Chinese

大家將心比心，給剛搬來的鄰居一點適應時間。

dà jiā jiāng xīn bǐ xīn ， gěi gāng bān lái de lín jū yì diǎn shì yìng shí jiān 。

Try to understand the new neighbors' situation and give them time to adjust.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 4, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=9934&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%B0%87%E5%BF%83%E6%AF%94%E5%BF%83)

## Keep exploring

- [娇生惯养 jiāo shēng guàn yǎng Be overindulged and spoiled from childhood ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jiao-sheng-guan-yang)

- [交头接耳 jiāo tóu jiē ěr Whisper closely to one another ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jiao-tou-jie-er)

- [教学相长 jiào xué xiāng zhǎng Teaching and learning help each other develop ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jiao-xue-xiang-zhang)

- [借花献佛 jiè huā xiàn fó Offer something obtained from someone else ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jie-hua-xian-fo)

## Keep this one close.

Save useful idioms, read offline, and revisit them with flashcards in Almanac.

[View on the App Store ](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6819590452)

[Previous idiom 江郎才尽 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jiang-lang-cai-jin) [Next idiom 矫揉造作 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jiao-rou-zao-zuo)