adjective HSK 5
anxious · worried · impatient
Meaning
焦急 describes a state of anxiety, worry, or impatience, often when waiting for something important or when concerned about an urgent situation. It conveys a feeling of emotional distress combined with urgency, stronger than simple worry but not quite panic.
Usage
焦急 is commonly used to describe visible emotional states, often appearing with 很 (very) or in phrases like 焦急地 (anxiously). It frequently describes waiting for news, worrying about someone's safety, or feeling pressed for time. More formal than colloquial speech, it appears often in written Chinese and news reports.
Examples
- 01妈妈焦急地等待着儿子的消息。.The mother anxiously awaited news of her son.
- 02看到他焦急的样子，我知道一定出事了。, .Seeing his anxious expression, I knew something must have happened.
Characters
Common collocations
- 焦急地等待to wait anxiously
- 十分焦急extremely anxious
- 焦急万分extremely anxious
- 心情焦急feeling anxious
Antonyms
Origin
焦 originally meant 'scorched' or 'burnt,' suggesting the burning sensation of anxiety. Combined with 急 (urgent/急迫), the compound emphasizes intense, restless worry.