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xīn 心 jí 急 rú 如 fén 焚

心急如焚 xīn jí rú fén

burning with anxiety; frantic with worry

Literally: heart anxious like burning

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Origin

Descriptive; no single source story. The image of a heart burning with anxiety (心如火焚) appears throughout Ming and Qing fiction.

How to use it

Predicate; neutral, describing intense worry. Often 急得心急如焚 or 家人心急如焚.

Example sentences

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  1. 孩子迟迟没有回家，母亲心急如焚。
    Háizi chíchí méiyǒu huí jiā, mǔqīn xīn jí rú fén.
    The child was very late coming home, and the mother was frantic with worry.
    child late-late not-have return home, mother heart anxious like burning
  2. 眼看洪水就要冲进村子，村民们心急如焚地转移财产。
    Yǎnkàn hóngshuǐ jiù yào chōng jìn cūnzi, cūnmínmen xīn jí rú fén de zhuǎnyí cáichǎn.
    With the flood about to burst into the village, the villagers frantically moved their belongings.
    soon flood just about-to rush into village, villager (plural) heart anxious like burning (adverbial particle) transfer property

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