Meaning
不放心 literally means 'not able to put down one's heart.' It expresses a state of worry, concern, or unease about someone or something, typically because you doubt their safety, reliability, or ability to handle a situation. The feeling is that you cannot relax or be at peace about the matter.
Usage
Commonly used when you're concerned about someone's wellbeing, doubt whether they can handle something properly, or feel uneasy leaving something in someone else's hands. Often followed by the object of concern. Native speakers frequently use it when expressing parental worry, doubts about delegating tasks, or anxiety about outcomes.
Examples
- 01孩子一个人在家，我很不放心。, .I'm very worried about the child being home alone.
- 02你办事我不放心，还是我自己去吧。, .I don't feel confident with you handling this; I'd better go myself.
Characters
Common collocations
- 对...不放心...to be worried about ...
- 让人不放心to make people worry
- 实在不放心really worried, truly uneasy
Antonyms
Origin
The phrase combines 不 (not) with 放心 (to feel at ease, literally 'to put down the heart'). The metaphor of 'putting down one's heart' represents being able to relax and not worry, so 不放心 means the inability to do so.