顾虑 (gùlǜ)

顾虑 refers to a concern, reservation, or worry that causes hesitation, particularly a concern about potential consequences or side effects that prevents one from acting freely.

Meanings

[noun] concern; misgiving; reservation; scruple
[verb] to worry about; to have reservations about; to be held back by concerns

Example Sentences

他想提出自己的想法，但有些顾虑，担心会得罪同事。 Tā xiǎng tíchū zìjǐ de xiǎngfǎ, dàn yǒuxiē gùlǜ, dānxīn huì dézuì tóngshì. He wanted to put forward his own ideas but had some reservations, worried about offending his colleagues.

消除顾虑、敢于创新，是推动企业发展的重要因素。 Xiāochú gùlǜ, gǎnyú chuàngxīn, shì tuīdòng qǐyè fāzhǎn de zhòngyào yīnsù. Eliminating concerns and daring to innovate are important factors in driving enterprise development.

如果你对这项投资有任何顾虑，欢迎随时向我们咨询。 Rúguǒ nǐ duì zhè xiàng tóuzī yǒu rènhé gùlǜ, huānyíng suíshí xiàng wǒmen zīxún. If you have any concerns about this investment, please feel free to consult us at any time.

出于对食品安全的顾虑，她决定只购买有机认证的产品。 Chūyú duì shípǐn ānquán de gùlǜ, tā juédìng zhǐ gòumǎi yǒujī rènzhèng de chǎnpǐn. Out of concern for food safety, she decided to only buy organically certified products.

政府应当倾听民众的顾虑，并在政策中予以充分考虑。 Zhèngfǔ yīngdāng qīngtīng mínzhòng de gùlǜ, bìng zài zhèngcè zhōng yǔyǐ chōngfèn kǎolǜ. The government should listen to the public's concerns and give them full consideration in policy.

她放下顾虑，大胆地说出了自己的真实想法，获得了大家的认可。 Tā fàngxià gùlǜ, dàdǎn de shuō chūle zìjǐ de zhēnshí xiǎngfǎ, huòdéle dàjiā de rènkě. She set aside her concerns and boldly expressed her true thoughts, earning everyone's approval.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
消除顾虑 (xiāochú gùlǜ)	eliminate concerns
有所顾虑 (yǒusuǒ gùlǜ)	have some reservations
放下顾虑 (fàngxià gùlǜ)	set aside one's worries
出于顾虑 (chūyú gùlǜ)	out of concern for
顾虑重重 (gùlǜ chóngchóng)	full of misgivings
毫无顾虑 (háo wú gùlǜ)	without any reservations

Usage Notes

顾虑 specifically implies a concern that restrains action or speech -- it is the hesitation caused by worry about consequences, not just general anxiety. It is often paired with the verb 放下 (set aside) or 消除 (eliminate) to describe overcoming these reservations.

Compare with 担心 (dānxīn, to be worried), which is a more general word for worry, and 忧虑 (yōulǜ, anxiety/concern), which is broader and more intense. 顾虑 specifically has the nuance of "hesitating because of potential negative consequences."

Memory Hook

顾 (to look back/consider) + 虑 (to think over/worry) = to look back and think too much -- to have second thoughts and worries.