忐忑 (tǎn tè) — anxious, uneasy, fidgety

Definition

A vivid adjective for an uneasy, fidgety inner state — typically waiting or fearing something bad. Often paired with 不安 (忐忑不安) to intensify the feeling.

adjective
anxiousuneasyfidgety

Examples

  • 忐忑。
    Kǎo shì qián tā gǎn dào fēi cháng tǎn tè.
    He felt very anxious before the exam.
  • ，。
    Děng dài jié guǒ de shí hou, tā yì zhí tǎn tè bù ān.
    While waiting for the results, she was restless and uneasy.
  • ，忐忑。
    Zuò cuò liǎo shì, tā xīn lǐ hěn tǎn tè.
    After doing something wrong, he felt very uneasy inside.

Origin

Single-morpheme word
构词法gòucífǎ
联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

忐tǎn
忑tè

The characters in 忐忑 carry no meaning on their own; together they describe an uneasy, fidgety state.

Sound-only characters

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 忐 puts 上 (up) over 心 (heart).

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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