如坐针毡
如坐针毡 (rú zuò zhēn zhān) literally means “as if sitting on needles” and expresses “extreme discomfort”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: ru zuo zhen zhan, ru zuo zhen zhan,如坐针毡 meaning, 如坐针毡 in english
Extreme discomfort
Pronunciation: rú zuò zhēn zhān Literal meaning: As if sitting on needles
Origin & Usage
Du Xi served as tutor to a crown prince who did not want advice and grew to resent receiving it. The History of the Jin records that the prince had needles (针) put into the felt (毡) of the mat where Du Xi sat. Sitting (坐) as if (如) on needles is what the phrase describes, and its modern use is entirely figurative: the meeting one cannot leave, the dinner where the subject keeps approaching, the wait for a result. The discomfort it names is specifically the kind that must be endured while appearing composed.
Examples
English: "During the tense negotiation, he felt like he was sitting on needles, unable to relax."
Chinese: 在紧张的谈判中，他感觉如坐针毡，无法放松。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
如火如荼
rú huǒ rú tú
Intense and vigorous
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黄粱一梦
huáng liáng yī mèng
Ephemeral dreams
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揭竿而起
jiē gān ér qǐ
Grassroots uprising
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朝三暮四
zhāo sān mù sì
Fickle and inconsistent
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惊弓之鸟
jīng gōng zhī niǎo
Fear from past trauma
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临渊羡鱼
lín yuān xiàn yú
Act, don't just dream
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门可罗雀
mén kě luó què
Deserted; hardly a visitor
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饮鸩止渴
yǐn zhèn zhǐ kě
Short-sighted solution
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 如坐针毡 mean in English?
如坐针毡 (rú zuò zhēn zhān) literally translates to “As if sitting on needles” and is used to express “Extreme discomfort”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 如坐针毡 used?
Situation: During the tense negotiation, he felt like he was sitting on needles, unable to relax.
What is the pinyin for 如坐针毡?
The pinyin pronunciation for 如坐针毡 is “rú zuò zhēn zhān”.