芒刺在背 (máng) — like thorns on the back — to feel extremely nervous or uneasy
Definition
A chengyu meaning 'like thorns prickling the back' — to feel intense, restless anxiety, often because someone is watching or judging you. Pairs with 坐立不安 in the example sentences.
idiom
like thorns on the back — to feel extremely nervous or uneasy
Examples
- ，芒刺在背，。Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, tā rú máng, zuò lì bù ān.Upon hearing this news, he felt like having thorns on his back and couldn't sit still.
- 芒刺在背，。Měi cì kǎo shì qián tā dōu máng, shēng pà zì jǐ kǎo bù hǎo.Before every exam, she feels nervous and uneasy, afraid she won't do well.
- ，芒刺在背。Lǎo bǎn lěng lěng de kàn le tā yì yǎn, tā dùn shí máng.The boss gave him a cold look, and he immediately felt a thorn in his back.
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