이심전심

Sino-Korean word from 以心傳心 (“transmit one's mind by means of one's mind”), originally an expression in Chinese Buddhist literature. The word refers to an episode during the Gautama Buddha's preaching, when the Buddha wordlessly held up a flower before his followers. Nobody understood his intentions except the disciple Mahākāśyapa, who understood his teacher and smiled in reply. The word was coined after the silent empathy between the two figures.^[1]

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈi(ː)ɕʰimd͡ʑʌ̹nɕʰim]
• Phonetic hangul: [이(ː)심전심]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

이심전심 • (isimjeonsim) (hanja 以心傳心)

1. (four-character idiom from Classical Chinese) silent understanding, tacit understanding, empathy
   • 2019, 강성관 [gangseonggwan], “늙은 난 [neulgeun nan, The Aged Orchid]”, in 수필과비평 [supilgwabipyeong], volume 213:

     서산으로 넘어가는 석양을 바라보며 이심전심의 미소를 보낸다.

     Seosan-euro neomeoganeun seogyang-eul barabomyeo isimjeonsim-ui miso-reul bonaenda.

     Watching the evening sun go over the western mountains, I send it a smile of silent empathy.