敏感 (mǐngǎn) — sensitive

敏感 (mǐngǎn)

Describes something or someone that reacts strongly to stimuli, emotions, or social pressures -- or a topic that requires delicacy because it can easily cause offense or controversy.

Meanings

1. [adjective] sensitive (physically, emotionally, or socially/politically)

Example Sentences

她皮肤很敏感，用普通化妆品容易过敏。 Tā pífū hěn mǐngǎn, yòng pǔtōng huàzhuāngpǐn róngyì guòmǐn. Her skin is very sensitive, and ordinary cosmetics easily cause allergic reactions.

记者被提醒不要触碰某些政治上的敏感话题。 Jìzhě bèi tíxǐng bùyào chùpèng mǒuxiē zhèngzhì shàng de mǐngǎn huàtí. Journalists were warned not to touch on certain politically sensitive topics.

这个孩子情感十分敏感，批评几句就会哭。 Zhège háizi qínggǎn shífēn mǐngǎn, pīpíng jǐ jù jiù huì kū. This child is emotionally very sensitive and will cry at even mild criticism.

市场对利率变化极为敏感。 Shìchǎng duì lìlǜ biànhuà jí wéi mǐngǎn. The market is extremely sensitive to interest rate changes.

在涉及个人隐私的问题上，我们需要格外敏感。 Zài shèjí gèrén yǐnsī de wèntí shàng, wǒmen xūyào géwài mǐngǎn. On matters involving personal privacy, we need to be especially sensitive.

这款传感器对温度变化非常敏感，精度极高。 Zhè kuǎn chuángǎnqì duì wēndù biànhuà fēicháng mǐngǎn, jīngdù jí gāo. This sensor is very sensitive to temperature changes and has extremely high precision.

Collocations

Usage Notes

敏感 spans physical, emotional, and political registers. In everyday speech it describes skin sensitivity or emotional fragility. In news and political contexts it marks topics or information that are taboo or require careful handling. The phrase 敏感话题 (sensitive topic) is very common in media.

Note that in Chinese internet discourse, content related to certain political topics is sometimes described as 敏感内容, and users self-censor with circumlocutions. B2 learners should be aware of this social context when encountering the word online.

Memory Hook

敏 contains 每 (every) and an action component suggesting quickness -- every stimulus is quickly felt. 感 means "to feel/sense." Someone who feels everything quickly and acutely is truly 敏感.