人心向背

rénxīn-xiàngbèi
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 whether the people support or oppose
  2. 2 the sentiment of the populace
  3. 3 popular support for or against

Examples

HSK 7-9
Yí ge zhèngquán de cúnwáng, qǔjuéyú rénxīn-xiàngbèi.
Whether a regime survives depends on which way the people lean.
HSK 7-9
Zhè cì xuǎnjǔ de jiéguǒ fǎnyìng le rénxīn-xiàngbèi.
The result of this election reflects where popular sentiment stands.

Tips

history
Recorded in Ming-dynasty 《典故纪闻》卷四: 天命去留,人心向背,皆决于是 a ruler’s fate, the writer argues, is decided by whether people face him (向) or turn their backs (背).
register
Formal, used in political, historical, and editorial writing. 向 = support, face toward; 背 = oppose, turn one’s back. Often paired with 决定, 取决于, 反映.

Stroke Order

人 rén
心 xīn
向 xiàng
背 bēi