言者无意，听者有心
yán​zhě​wú​yì​tīng​zhě​yǒu​xīn

to take a casual remark to heart

  1. 言 yán verbadverb
    to say
    to speak; to talk; to state or tell
  2. 者 zhě affixnoun
    -er
    (bound form) used after a verb, adjective, or noun to represent the person or thing performing an action or possessing a quality; translates as "-er", "-ist", or "one who"
  3. 无意 無意 wú​yì adjective
    unintentional
    Done without planning or purpose; accidental or inadvertent
  4. ， tīng
    non-Chinese
  5. 听 聽 tīng verb
    to listen
    to listen; to use the ears to receive sound
  6. 者 zhě affixnoun
    -er
    (bound form) used after a verb, adjective, or noun to represent the person or thing performing an action or possessing a quality; translates as "-er", "-ist", or "one who"
  7. 有心 yǒu​xīn
    deliberately
    To do something on purpose; intentionally or purposely