conscience
Definitions
The inner sense that tells you whether what you are doing is right or wrong.
良心，良知；内心的道德感。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcon- ('together with') + sci ('know') + -ence (state) = 'knowing within oneself.' To the Romans, knowing alongside yourself included knowing whether your deeds were good or bad. That inner witness became the moral voice we call conscience — which is why a word built from 'know' ends up meaning your sense of right and wrong.
Root sci still carries 10 more wordsWhy It Means This
Conscience is the family's most surprising leap: from neutral 'knowing with' to a moral faculty. Think of an inner co-witness who was present at everything you did and quietly knows the truth — that witness is your conscience. This is also why English keeps 'guilty conscience' and 'clear conscience': the witness either has something on you or doesn't.
Common Collocations
- 1.clear conscience问心无愧
- 2.guilty conscience内疚的良心
- 3.social conscience社会良知
- 4.matter of conscience良心问题
- 5.in good conscience凭良心
Example Sentences
- 1.
His conscience wouldn't let him keep the extra change.
- 2.
She returned the wallet with a clear conscience.
- 3.
After lying to them, he had a guilty conscience for days.
Easily Confused
conscience vs conscious — conscience is a noun, your moral sense (a guilty conscience). conscious is an adjective, being aware/awake (conscious of the danger). Tip: consciENCE ends like 'sense' — it's your moral sense.