心動

心動

1. (of the heart) to beat; to palpitate

   • 魏武常言：“人欲危己，己輒心動。”因語所親小人曰：“汝懷刃密來我側，我必說‘心動’。執汝使行刑，汝但勿言其使，無他，當厚相報。” [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     魏武常言：“人欲危己，己辄心动。”因语所亲小人曰：“汝怀刃密来我侧，我必说‘心动’。执汝使行刑，汝但勿言其使，无他，当厚相报。” [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: Liu Yiqing (editor), A New Account of the Tales of the World, 5^th century CE

     Wèiwǔ cháng yán: “Rén yù wēi jǐ, jǐ zhé xīndòng.” Yīn yù suǒ qīn xiǎorén yuē: “Rǔ huái rèn mì lái wǒ cè, wǒ bì shuō ‘xīndòng’. Zhí rǔ shǐ xíngxíng, rǔ dàn wù yán qí shǐ, wútā, dāng hòu xiàngbào.” [Pinyin]

     Ts'ao Ts'ao claimed that whenever anyone wants to threaten him, he always feels a presentiment of it in his heart. Accordingly he said to one of his underlings with whom he was intimate, "Hide a dagger in your bosom and come stealthily to my side. I will, of course, say that I feel a presentiment in my heart and have you seized and executed, but for your part, don't say a word about having been asked to do it, and nothing more will come upon you. I shall reward you generously."

2. to be moved mentally; to be interested; to be swayed; to be attracted

• (to beat):

• (to be moved mentally): 動心／动心 (dòngxīn)