Definition
心急如焚 (xīn jí rú fén) is a chengyu meaning 'extremely anxious, burning with worry' — it describes a state of intense anxiety, often while waiting or fearing a bad outcome. It differs from 迫不及待 (pò bù jí dài), which means 'can't wait' and focuses on eagerness to act, not worry. 刻不容缓 (kè bù róng huǎn) and 急于求成 (jí yú qiú chéng) are about urgency and impatience for results, not personal anxiety.
phrase
extremely anxiousburning with impatience or worry
Examples
- ，心急如焚。Kǎoshì jiéguǒ hái méi chūlái, tā xīn jí rú fén.The exam results haven't come out yet, and he's extremely anxious.
- ，心急如焚。Kàndào háizi fāshāo, māma xīn jí rú fén.Seeing the child with a fever, the mother was burning with worry.
- ，，心急如焚。Huǒchē 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.
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