How to read and write it
On its own, 心 is read kokoro. Inside other words it is often read shin, as in 安心 (anshin, peace of mind). It is written with only four strokes.
What it means
Where English separates the heart that feels from the mind that thinks, kokoro holds both. It can mean your feelings, your intentions, your sincerity or the core of something: 心をこめて (kokoro o komete) means to do something with all your heart.
Where the character comes from
The character began in ancient China as a picture of the heart itself. Inside other kanji it often appears as 忄 on the left side of characters about feelings, such as 情 (emotion).
Kokoro in Japanese life
Natsume Sōseki, one of Japan’s best-known novelists, called his 1914 novel Kokoro. The word fills everyday speech too: 心から (kokoro kara), from the heart, is how you say you mean something sincerely.
Wear it
Zen Enso Peace T-Shirt
The kanji for kokoro – heart and mind – brushed inside a Zen circle drawn in one stroke. A quiet gift for yoga and meditation people. Soft Softstyle cotton in 9 colors, sizes S–3XL.
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