每天成语
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如坐针毡

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: rú zuò zhēn zhān
  • English Translation: Like sitting on a bed of needles (on pins and needles)
  • Idiom Composition: 「如」（Like; as if）＋「坐」（To sit）＋「针」（Needle; pin）＋「毡」（Felt; a rug or mat made of wool）
  • Meaning: A state of extreme anxiety, discomfort, or restlessness, as if one were sitting on a rug filled with needles. It describes being in a situation where one feels so uneasy or pressured that they cannot stay still.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「如坐针毡」 contains the following nuances:

  • Extreme Psychological Discomfort: This phrase goes beyond simple worry; it implies that being in a specific place is so painful that one has a desperate urge to escape.
  • Physical Manifestation of Anxiety: It suggests that mental unease is manifesting as physical restlessness, such as fidgeting or breaking into a cold sweat.

3. Usage

「如坐针毡」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Criticism or Reprimand: Used to describe the unbearable feeling when one's mistakes are exposed or when receiving harsh words from a superior.
    • Example:「听着老板严厉的批评，他低着头，如坐针毡。」
      （Listening to the boss's harsh criticism, he lowered his head and felt like he was on a bed of needles.)
  • Hiding Secrets or Guilt: Describes the inability to remain calm due to the fear that a lie or secret might be discovered.
    • Example:「警察询问案情时，那个嫌疑人神色慌张，如坐针毡。」
      （When the police questioned him about the case, the suspect looked flustered and felt like he was on the hot seat.)
  • Anxiety While Waiting: Used when waiting for critical results, such as during a family member's surgery or the release of exam scores.
    • Example:「手术室的灯一直亮着，家属们在外面等得如坐针毡。」
      （With the operating room light still on, the family members waited outside, feeling extremely restless.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 在这个全是陌生人的高端聚会上，由于穿着不得体，他感到如坐针毡。
    （In this high-end party full of strangers, he felt ill at ease because he was inappropriately dressed.）
  2. 虽然大家都在笑，但心里有愧的他却如坐针毡。
    （Although everyone was laughing, he felt like he was on pins and needles because of his guilty conscience.）
  3. 等待面试结果的那几分钟，简直让人如坐针毡。
    （Those few minutes waiting for the interview results were truly nerve-wracking.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Origin: This idiom comes from the biography of Du Xi (杜锡) in the Book of Jin (晋书). Du Xi was known for giving blunt advice to the Crown Prince. Annoyed by this, the Crown Prince secretly had needles placed inside the felt mat Du Xi sat on, causing him to bleed when he sat down.
  • Evolution of Meaning: While the origin involves a literal, malicious prank involving physical pain, the modern usage is entirely metaphorical, focusing on psychological distress and the feeling of being 'under fire.'
  • Imagery: The image of 'felt' (毡) is significant as it is usually soft and comfortable, making the hidden needles even more jarring and effective as a metaphor for unexpected or hidden pressure.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

如坐针毡 (rú zuò zhēn zhān) vividly describes the feeling of being under intense psychological pressure or guilt. Whether waiting for critical news or facing harsh criticism, it captures the sensation of being so uncomfortable that staying in one's place feels physically painful. It is the Chinese equivalent of the English expressions 'to be on pins and needles' or 'to be on the hot seat.'

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

rú zuò zhēn zhān
如坐针毡
Sitting on Pins and Needles
yǒu有guò过zhè yàng这样de的jīng lì经历ma吗？

Have you ever had an experience like this?

míng míng明明zuò坐zài在ruǎn mián mián软绵绵de的shā fā沙发shàng上，shēn tǐ身体què却zěn me怎么yě也fàng sōng放松bù不xià lái下来。

Even though you are sitting on a soft sofa, your body simply cannot relax.

nǐ你yī huì er一会儿xiàng向zuǒ左kào靠，yī huì er一会儿xiàng向yòu右nuó挪，hǎo xiàng好像yǐ zi椅子shàng上yǒu有shén me什么dōng xī东西zhā扎zhe着nǐ你yī yàng一样。

You lean to the left, then shift to the right, as if something on the chair is pricking you.

qí shí其实，yǐ zi椅子méi yǒu没有wèn tí问题，yǒu有wèn tí问题de的shì是dāng shí当时de的“qì fēn气氛”。

Actually, there is nothing wrong with the chair; the problem is the "atmosphere" at that moment.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常xíng xiàng形象de的chéng yǔ成语lái来miáo shù描述zhè zhǒng这种jí dù极度bù ān不安de的gǎn jué感觉，jiào叫“rú zuò zhēn zhān如坐针毡”。

In Chinese, there is a very vivid idiom to describe this feeling of extreme unease called 如坐针毡.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn画面gǎn感hěn很qiáng强。

This phrase creates a very strong mental image.

“rú如”shì是xiàng像，“zhēn针”shì是fèng缝yī fú衣服de的zhēn针，“zhān毡”shì是gǔ dài古代pù铺zài在dì shàng地上de的hòu厚máo tǎn毛毯。

如 means like, 针 refers to sewing needles, and 毡 is a thick wool rug used on floors in ancient times.

hé合qǐ lái起来yì si意思jiù shì就是：xiàng像zuò坐zài在chā插zhe着zhēn针de的máo tǎn毛毯shàng上。

Put together, it means: like sitting on a rug full of needles.

zhè ge这个cí词zuì最miào妙de的dì fāng地方，zài yú在于nà zhǒng那种“kàn bú jiàn看不见de的tòng kǔ痛苦”。

The most brilliant part of this idiom is that "invisible pain."

máo tǎn毛毯biǎo miàn表面kàn qǐ lái看起来shì是ruǎn软de的，shèn zhì甚至hěn很shū fú舒服，dàn但lǐ miàn里面què却cáng藏zhe着zhēn针。

The rug looks soft on the surface, perhaps even comfortable, but needles are hidden inside.

zhè这jiù就xiàng像shēng huó生活zhōng中de的mǒu xiē某些shí kè时刻：biǎo miàn shàng表面上dà jiā大家kè kè qì qì客客气气，zuò坐zài在yì qǐ一起chī fàn吃饭huò或kāi huì开会，dàn但kōng qì空气lǐ里chōng mǎn充满le了jǐn zhāng紧张。

This is like certain moments in life: on the surface, everyone is polite, eating or meeting together, but the air is filled with tension.

yě xǔ也许shì是nǐ你fàn犯le了yí gè一个cuò错，zhèng zài正在děng等zhe着lǎo bǎn老板kāi kǒu开口pī píng批评；yě xǔ也许shì是liǎng两gè个péng yǒu朋友zài在chǎo jià吵架，ér而nǐ你zuò wéi作为dì sān第三gè个rén人jiā夹zài在zhōng jiān中间，zǒu走yě也bú shì不是，liú留yě也bú shì不是。

Perhaps you made a mistake and are waiting for your boss to criticize you; perhaps two friends are arguing, and you, as the third person caught in the middle, can neither leave nor stay.

zhè zhǒng这种shí hòu时候，nǐ你suī rán虽然rén人zuò坐zài在nà lǐ那里，bù dé bù不得不bǎo chí保持lǐ mào礼貌，dàn但xīn lǐ心里què却zhǐ只xiǎng想táo pǎo逃跑。

At times like this, although you are sitting there and must remain polite, in your heart you only want to run away.

měi每yī miǎo zhōng一秒钟，dōu都xiàng像shì是yī zhǒng一种jiān áo煎熬。

Every second feels like an ordeal.

suǒ yǐ所以，“rú zuò zhēn zhān如坐针毡”xíng róng形容de的bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是jǐn zhāng紧张，ér shì而是yī zhǒng一种“shēn bù yóu jǐ身不由己”de的tòng kǔ痛苦。

Therefore, 如坐针毡 describes not just nervousness, but a kind of "involuntary" suffering.

tā它gào sù告诉wǒ men我们yí gè一个hěn很yǒu yì si有意思de的dào lǐ道理：shēn tǐ身体de的gǎn shòu感受，wǎng wǎng往往shì是yóu由xīn心jué dìng决定de的。

It tells us an interesting truth: physical sensations are often determined by the mind.

rú guǒ如果xīn lǐ心里bù不tà shí踏实，nǎ pà哪怕zuò坐zhe着shì jiè世界shàng上zuì最shū fú舒服de的yǐ zi椅子，yě也huì会jué de觉得nán shòu难受。

If your mind is not at peace, even if you are sitting in the most comfortable chair in the world, you will feel uncomfortable.

xià cì下次dāng当nǐ你kàn dào看到yǒu rén有人zài在zuò wèi座位shàng上dòng lái dòng qù动来动去、shén sè神色huāng zhāng慌张shí时，bù yòng不用wèn问，nǐ你jiù就zhī dào知道——tā他cǐ kè此刻，yí dìng一定zhèng正tǐ huì体会zhe着“rú zuò zhēn zhān如坐针毡”de的zī wèi滋味。

Next time you see someone fidgeting in their seat with a panicked look, you don't need to ask—you will know they are certainly experiencing the taste of 如坐针毡.

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