'关心' is a verb meaning 'to care about' or 'to be concerned about' someone or something. Literally, the character 关 (guān) means 'to close' or 'to shut', but in this compound it carries the sense of 'paying attention to' or 'attending to'; 心 (xīn) means 'heart'. Together, they evoke the idea of 'directing one’s heart toward' — emotionally engaging with another person’s well-being, needs, or circumstances. It implies active concern, not just passive sympathy.

This word is commonly used in interpersonal contexts: parents caring for children, friends checking in on each other, or colleagues showing support during difficulty. It often appears with objects like people (e.g., 他关心学生), situations (e.g., 关心环保), or abstract matters (e.g., 关心社会问题). Unlike more formal terms like '关注' (which emphasizes attention without emotional weight), '关心' always carries warmth and personal investment.