心こころが溶とける

Meanings

1

expression, ichidan verb

one's heart melts; be deeply moved; be emotionally touched

idiomatic expression

Idiomatic expression describing a moment when emotional coldness, reserve, or tension dissolves, often due to kindness, warmth, or affection. Similar to English 'one's heart melts'.

子こどもの笑え顔がおを見みて、心こころが溶とける思おもいだった。
Seeing the child's smile, I felt my heart melt.

彼かれの優やさしい言こと葉ばに、彼かの女じょの心こころが溶とけた。

Her heart melted at his kind words.

Written forms

心こころが溶とける
Standard kanji spelling using 溶ける (melt, dissolve), the most common choice for this expression.
心こころが解とける
Alternative spelling using 解ける (come untied, be solved). Less common but sometimes seen; can suggest emotional tension being released.
心こころがとける
Kana spelling for the verb part; used when the kanji nuance is not needed or for easier reading.

Kanji

心heart, mind, spirit
溶melt, dissolve, thaw
解unravel, notes, key

Similar words

心こころを打うたれる
心を打たれる also means being emotionally moved, but it emphasizes being struck by something impressive or touching, while 心が溶ける focuses on the softening or warming of one's heart.
感かん動どうする
感動する is a general term for being moved or impressed, without the specific nuance of emotional coldness melting away.

Etymology

A figurative expression combining 心 (heart, mind) and 溶ける (to melt). The metaphor of the heart melting to describe emotional softening is common across languages; the exact origin in Japanese is uncertain.