担惊受怕 (dān jīng shòu pà) — to be constantly in a state of fear and worry;… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A vivid four-character idiom meaning to live in ongoing worry and fear. Pairs naturally with 好几天, 总是, or 让家人 to describe prolonged anxiety caused by some situation.

idiom

to be constantly in a state of fear and worryto live in anxiety

Examples

担惊受怕，。
Tā měi tiān dōu dān jīng shòu pà, shēng pà gōng sī huì dǎo bì.
He lives in anxiety every day, afraid the company will go bankrupt.
担惊受怕。
Zhè jiàn shì ràng wǒ dān jīng shòu pà le hǎo jǐ tiān.
This matter has kept me in a state of worry for days.
，担惊受怕。
Nǐ yǐ hòu shǎo zuò wēi xiǎn de shì, bié ràng jiā rén dān jīng shòu pà.
From now on, don't do dangerous things — don't make your family worry.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

担惊bear fear

担dānbear惊jīngfear

动宾Verb + object

受怕endure fear

受shòuendure怕pàfear

动宾Verb + object

担惊 and 受怕 both describe bearing fear, so the whole means living in anxiety.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

扌旦担

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

旦

旦dàn担dàn

Same sound today

In 担, the left part 扌 is the hand, showing that the action involves using the hand. The right part 旦 shows how it sounds.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

忄京惊

Meaning part形符xíngfú

忄Written in full as心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

京

京jīng惊jīng

Same sound today

惊 is made from 忄 (heart) and 京, which gives the sound.

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

爪爪zhuǎhand
舟舟zhōuboat
又又yòuhand

受 possibly combines 爪 and 又 as hands with 舟 as a boat, to show handing something over.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

白

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

怕 pairs 心 (heart) with 白, which gives the sound.

Appears in

Emotions & Feelings

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