📖 Meaning
What one thinks in the heart and what one says with the mouth are consistent. It describes a person whose words match their inner thoughts, reflecting sincerity and honesty.
📜 Origin Story
No specific classical origin is recorded. The phrase combines 心 (heart or mind), 口 (mouth), and 相应 (to correspond or match), expressing the traditional Chinese moral ideal that one's speech should align with one's inner convictions. It echoes Confucian values of sincerity (诚) and integrity, which were emphasized across many dynasties as essential virtues of a gentleman.
💡 Example Usage
他为人正直，心口相应，深受大家信任。
He is an upright person whose words match his thoughts, and is deeply trusted by everyone.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 心口相应
- Pinyin: xīn kǒu xiāng yīng
- Literal Translation: heart, mouth, mutually, correspond
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4