timid; cowardly; faint-hearted
Describes a person who is easily frightened, lacks courage, or is overly cautious in a negative sense. Often used in compounds like 小心者 (coward).
He is timid and gets scared at the slightest thing.
A cowardly attitude won't do for a leader.
Used for someone who is overly careful about small details, sometimes to the point of being fussy or pedantic. Can carry a slightly negative nuance of being too meticulous.
He is so meticulous that he checks every single word in the document.
小心 describes a timid, small-minded person, the opposite of the grand, magnanimous character described by 豪儀.
小心 means timid and easily frightened, the opposite of the fearless quality described by 大胆.
From 小 (small) + 心 (heart/mind), literally 'small heart'. The meaning of timidity or excessive caution developed from the idea of having a narrow or constrained spirit.