心急如焚 (xīn jí rú fén) — extremely anxious; burning with impatience or worry
Definition
A chengyu meaning 'so anxious it feels like the heart is on fire' — describes a personal emotional state, not the urgency of a task (that's 刻不容缓) or restless eagerness to act (迫不及待).
phrase
extremely anxiousburning with impatience or worry
Examples
- ,心急如焚。Kǎo shì jié guǒ hái méi chū lái, tā xīn jí rú fén.The exam results haven't come out yet, and he's extremely anxious.
- ,心急如焚。Kàn dào hái zi fā shāo, mā ma xīn jí rú fén.Seeing the child with a fever, the mother was burning with worry.
- ,,心急如焚。Huǒ chē kuài kāi le, tā hái méi dào, wǒ xīn jí rú fén.The train is about to leave and he hasn't arrived yet — I'm extremely anxious.
Appears in
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