捏一把汗 (niē yì bǎ hàn) — to break into a cold sweat (from worry or anticipation); to be extremely nervous (usually on behalf of someone else)

Definition

A vivid, colloquial idiom for 'breaking into a cold sweat' from anxiety on someone else's behalf. Usually used with 为 / 替 + person.

verb
to break into a cold sweat (from worry or anticipation)to be extremely nervous (usually on behalf of someone else)

Examples

  • 捏一把汗
    Kàn tā zài tái shàng yǎn jiǎng, wǒ wèi tā niē yì bǎ hàn.
    Watching him give a speech on stage, I was nervous for him.
  • 捏一把汗
    Bǐ sài zuì hòu jǐ miǎo zhōng, dà jiā dōu wèi duì yuán niē yì bǎ hàn.
    In the last few seconds of the game, everyone was on tenterhooks for the players.
  • 捏一把汗
    Tā kāi chē tài kuài le, zuò zài páng biān de rén zhí niē yì bǎ hàn.
    He drove so fast that the person sitting next to him was breaking into a cold sweat.

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