以心伝心(いしんでんしん)

いしんでんしん
noun, expression
tacit understanding, telepathy
1. tacit understanding, heart-to-heart communication
Understanding each other without words; communicating through unspoken feelings. A Buddhist-origin four-character idiom.
夫婦(ふうふ)は以心伝心(いしんでんしん)だね。
That couple really understands each other without speaking.
以心伝心(いしんでんしん)で彼(かれ)の気持(きも)ちがわかった。
I understood his feelings without him saying anything.
長年(ながねん)の友人(ゆうじん)とは以心伝心(いしんでんしん)で通(つう)じ合(あ)える。
With long-time friends, we can communicate without words.

以心伝心(いしんでんしん) is a four-character idiom (四字熟語(よじじゅくご)) meaning tacit understanding or heart-to-heart communication.

LITERAL MEANING:
以(い) (by means of) + 心(しん) (mind) + 伝(でん) (transmit) + 心(しん) (mind) = 'transmitting mind with mind'

ORIGIN:
Originally a Zen Buddhist term for the transmission of enlightenment from master to disciple beyond words and scriptures.

MODERN USAGE:
Describes intuitive understanding between people who know each other well - couples, close friends, long-time colleagues.

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 以心伝心(いしんでんしん)で通(つう)じ合(あ)う: to communicate without words
  • 以心伝心(いしんでんしん)の仲(なか): a relationship with tacit understanding

RELATED:

  • 阿吽(あうん)の呼吸(こきゅう): perfect coordination/harmony
  • 暗黙(あんもく)の了解(りょうかい): tacit understanding/agreement
general
Added 2026.1.16 8:52 · Revised 2026.3.6 12:55
04500/04766_ishindenshin