An evocative term for psychological unease, literally meaning the heart is moving up and down.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Describes inner restlessness and a heart skipping beats from nervousness.
- Visually combines 'up' and 'down' over the 'heart' character.
- Used for anticipation, fear of the unknown, or guilty conscience.
Overview
- 1概览：‘忐忑’是一个极具形象感的词汇，在汉语中主要用来形容内心极度不安的状态。从字形上看，‘忐’由‘上’和‘心’组成，‘忑’由‘下’和‘心’组成，合起来便生动地描绘了‘心上下跳动’、无法平静的样子。2) 使用模式：它最常见的用法是成语‘忐忑不安’，也可以单独作为形容词性的状态词使用，或者作为名词出现在‘内心的忐忑’等结构中。3) 常见语境：该词常出现在面临未知结果（如考试成绩、面试反馈）、做错事后等待惩罚、或者在重大场合前感到紧张的场景。4) 同义词辨析：与‘紧张’相比，‘忐忑’更强调内心的起伏和不确定感；与‘焦虑’相比，‘忐忑’通常是短期的、针对特定事件的心理反应，而焦虑可能更持久且广泛。
Examples
成绩单发下来之前，我心里一直忐忑不安。
everydayBefore the report cards were handed out, I felt very uneasy.
怀着忐忑的心情，他敲开了办公室的大门。
formalWith a perturbed heart, he knocked on the office door.
别忐忑了，你的表现已经很棒了。
informalStop being so anxious; your performance was already great.
这种心理上的忐忑反映了角色在道德抉择面前的挣扎。
academicThis psychological perturbation reflects the character's struggle when facing a moral choice.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
怀着忐忑的心情
with a sense of trepidation
一阵忐忑
a wave of unease
Often Confused With
Anxiety (焦虑) is often a broader, long-term clinical or psychological state, while 忐忑 is usually a temporary reaction to a specific event.
Panic (慌张) implies a loss of composure in action, whereas 忐忑 focuses on the internal emotional vibration.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
The word is neutral in register but leans slightly towards literary or formal descriptions of emotion. It is almost always used as a predicate adjective or part of an adverbial phrase describing one's state of mind. In modern mainland China, it has gained additional cultural recognition due to popular music.
Common Mistakes
A common error is using it to describe physical objects shaking; it is strictly for human emotions. Another mistake is using it as a transitive verb (e.g., 'It 忐忑s me' is incorrect).
Tips
Visualize the Character Structure for Meaning
Notice the top parts are 'up' (上) and 'down' (下). This literal 'up-down heart' visualization makes the meaning unforgettable.
Do Not Use as a Direct Verb
You cannot say 'I am 忐忑ing'. Use it with '感到' (feel) or '心里' (in the heart) to describe a state.
The Famous Pop Song 'Tante'
There is a famous, wordless Chinese song titled '忐忑' by Gong Linna, which uses exaggerated expressions to mimic this emotional state.
Word Origin
This is a compound ideograph. The structure of the characters directly represents the meaning: a heart (心) that is moving up (上) and down (下).
Cultural Context
In Chinese culture, describing emotions through the 'heart' (心) is standard, as the heart was historically seen as the seat of thought and emotion. '忐忑' is one of the most visually literal examples of this.
Memory Tip
Look at the characters: '忐' has 'Up' (上) on 'Heart' (心), and '忑' has 'Down' (下) on 'Heart' (心). It's your heart going up and down!
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions不完全是。虽然它常用于担心或害怕，但也可以形容面对期待已久的事情时那种‘小鹿乱撞’的紧张感，比如初次约会。
‘忐忑不安’是一个固定的四字成语，语气更重，使用频率也更高。‘忐忑’本身可以作为其缩写或在文学描写中单独使用。
在现代口语中较为常用，尤其是在表达‘心里没底’的时候，不仅限于书面语。
读音为 tǎntè。可以联想‘坦特’的谐音，但要注意声调是三声和四声。
Test Yourself
就要上台演讲了，他的心里感到一阵___。
上台演讲前的紧张状态最适合用‘忐忑’来形容。
选择最恰当的语境：
等待手术结果伴随着强烈的不确定性和担忧，是‘忐忑’的标准语境。
1.他 2.不安 3.感到 4.忐忑 5.内心
正确顺序是：他(1)内心(5)感到(3)忐忑(4)不安(2)。
Score: /3
Summary
An evocative term for psychological unease, literally meaning the heart is moving up and down.
- Describes inner restlessness and a heart skipping beats from nervousness.
- Visually combines 'up' and 'down' over the 'heart' character.
- Used for anticipation, fear of the unknown, or guilty conscience.
Visualize the Character Structure for Meaning
Notice the top parts are 'up' (上) and 'down' (下). This literal 'up-down heart' visualization makes the meaning unforgettable.
Do Not Use as a Direct Verb
You cannot say 'I am 忐忑ing'. Use it with '感到' (feel) or '心里' (in the heart) to describe a state.
The Famous Pop Song 'Tante'
There is a famous, wordless Chinese song titled '忐忑' by Gong Linna, which uses exaggerated expressions to mimic this emotional state.
Examples
4 of 4成绩单发下来之前，我心里一直忐忑不安。
Before the report cards were handed out, I felt very uneasy.
怀着忐忑的心情，他敲开了办公室的大门。
With a perturbed heart, he knocked on the office door.
别忐忑了，你的表现已经很棒了。
Stop being so anxious; your performance was already great.
这种心理上的忐忑反映了角色在道德抉择面前的挣扎。
This psychological perturbation reflects the character's struggle when facing a moral choice.
Related Content
Related Phrases
Related Vocabulary
More emotions words
有点
A1A little; somewhat; rather.
可恶
A2Hateful; detestable; abominable.
心不在焉
A2Absent-minded; preoccupied.
接受地
A2Acceptingly; receptively.
成就感
B1Sense of achievement; fulfillment.
撒娇
A2To act like a spoiled child; to act cute.
上瘾
B1To be addicted to something.
沉迷
A2To be addicted to; to be engrossed in.
敬佩
B1Admiration; respect; reverence.
佩服
B1To admire; to respect.
