English–Chinese
“be anxious” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyintí xīn diào dǎn
Example
考试前，他一直提心吊胆。kǎo shì qián tā yì zhí tí xīn diào dǎn
Before the exam, he was anxious the whole time.
How to say “be anxious” in Chinese
“Be anxious” in Chinese is 提心吊胆 (tí xīn diào dǎn).
Fear leaves a person feeling suspended and unable to regain calm while possible trouble lies ahead.
Example sentences with 提心吊胆
孩子放学晚了，母亲一整天都提心吊胆。hái zi fàng xué wǎn le mǔ qīn yì zhěng tiān dōu tí xīn diào dǎn
The child was late coming home from school, and the mother was anxious all day.
Tips for using 提心吊胆
- English speakers often use nervous for both excitement and fear, but this idiom points to the fear-filled side and usually suggests an uncertain outcome.