人心如水得冷成冰
[rén xīn rú shuĭ dé lĕng chéng bīng]
'The human heart is like water that must be cooled to form ice'. In Chinese culture, this metaphor refers to human nature and its tendency towards negativity or indifference, much like turning warm water into frigid ice. Water here can be thought of as representing initial emotions such as sympathy or warmth, which over time can 'freeze' into apathy or bitterness because of bad experiences, betrayal, or hardship.