A1 Idiom Neutral

心が広い

kokoro ga hiroi

generous, broad-minded

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Describes someone who is tolerant, patient, and forgiving of others' mistakes.

  • Means: Having a generous, open-minded, or forgiving personality.
  • Used in: Describing a boss, a friend, or a mentor who is patient.
  • Don't confuse: It is not about physical size, but emotional capacity.
Big heart icon + calm face = {心|こころ}が{広|ひろ}い

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means someone is very kind and patient. They do not get angry easily when people make mistakes.
When you say someone's heart is wide, you mean they are very forgiving. It is a nice way to describe a person who is calm and understanding in difficult situations.
This idiom describes an individual with a high level of emotional intelligence. They possess the capacity to accept flaws in others, which makes them excellent leaders or supportive friends who prioritize harmony over conflict.
The phrase functions as a metaphor for emotional capacity. It suggests that the person has a vast internal space, allowing them to process negative input without reacting impulsively, thereby maintaining social equilibrium.
In a sociolinguistic sense, 'kokoro ga hiroi' denotes a personality trait characterized by high agreeableness and low neuroticism. It is a culturally specific way of praising someone's ability to transcend personal ego to accommodate the needs and errors of the collective.
From a cognitive linguistics perspective, this idiom maps the domain of 'space' onto the domain of 'emotion'. By conceptualizing the mind as a physical container, the Japanese language provides a tangible way to quantify abstract virtues like patience and magnanimity, reflecting a cultural preference for spatial metaphors in describing psychological states.

Bedeutung

Having a tolerant, forgiving, or open-minded personality.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

Tolerance is linked to the concept of 'wa' (harmony). The phrase '心胸宽广' is a sign of high moral character. Used to praise someone's personality in social settings. Often associated with 'open-mindedness' rather than just patience.

💡

Use it as a compliment

It is a very high compliment to tell someone they are 'kokoro ga hiroi'.

Bedeutung

Having a tolerant, forgiving, or open-minded personality.

💡

Use it as a compliment

It is a very high compliment to tell someone they are 'kokoro ga hiroi'.

Teste dich selbst

Fill in the blank with the correct adjective.

彼はミスをしても怒らない。本当に心が＿＿＿。

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: 広い

The idiom for being tolerant is 'kokoro ga hiroi'.

🎉 Ergebnis: /1

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Häufig gestellte Fragen

1 Fragen

It sounds a bit arrogant, so use it mainly for others.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

器が大きい

similar

Having a large vessel (capacity).

🔄

度量が広い

synonym

Having great tolerance.

Wo du es verwendest

💼

Workplace mistake

Employee: すみません、書類を間違えました。

Boss: 大丈夫ですよ。次は気をつけて。本当に心が広いですね。

neutral
❤️

Dating

Friend: どんな人が好き？

You: 心が広い人がいいな。

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a heart that is so wide it can fit an entire ocean inside, holding all the mistakes of the world without overflowing.

Visual Association

A person with a giant, glowing heart that acts like a big, soft cushion for everyone else's problems.

Story

Kenji dropped his coffee on the boss's desk. He braced for a scream. Instead, the boss smiled and said, 'Don't worry.' Kenji realized his boss was truly 'kokoro ga hiroi'.

Word Web

{寛容|かんよう}{度量|どりょう}{器|うつわ}{優しい|やさしい}{忍耐|にんたい}{大らか|おおらか}

Herausforderung

For one day, try to find one thing you can be 'kokoro ga hiroi' about when someone makes a minor mistake.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Tener un gran corazón

Japanese emphasizes the capacity to 'hold' things, while Spanish emphasizes the 'size' of the love/kindness.

French moderate

Avoir le cœur sur la main

French focuses on generosity, Japanese focuses on tolerance.

German high

Ein großes Herz haben

German is almost identical in usage to the English 'big-hearted'.

Chinese very_high

心胸宽广

None; the concept is shared across East Asian cultures.

Korean very_high

마음이 넓다

None; the linguistic structure is identical.

Portuguese high

Ter um coração grande

Japanese uses 'wide' (hiroi) while Portuguese uses 'big' (grande).

Arabic high

واسع الصدر

Arabic uses 'chest' (sadr) instead of 'heart' (qalb) for this specific idiom.

English moderate

Big-hearted / Open-minded

Japanese combines both into one phrase.

Easily Confused

心が広い vs. 心が狭い

It is the exact opposite.

Hiroi = Wide (Good), Semai = Narrow (Bad).

FAQ (1)

It sounds a bit arrogant, so use it mainly for others.

War das hilfreich?

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