七上八下
七上八下 (qī shàng bā xià) literally means “seven up eight down” and expresses “anxious and unsettled”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: qi shang ba xia, qi shang ba xia,七上八下 meaning, 七上八下 in english
Anxious and unsettled
Pronunciation: qī shàng bā xià Literal meaning: Seven up eight down
Origin & Usage
Seven (七) up (上), eight (八) down (下). The Water Margin gives the source as a two-part folk saying — fifteen buckets drawing water from a well, seven going up and eight coming down — which is where the odd numbers come from and why they do not match. The image is of something that will not settle. It describes the specific physical sensation of anxious anticipation, and Chinese locates it in the heart: 心里七上八下.
Examples
English: "The candidate felt extremely anxious while waiting for the interview results"
Chinese: 候选人在等待面试结果时感到忐忑不安
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
乱七八糟
luàn qī bā zāo
Complete disorganization and messiness
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七手八脚
qī shǒu bā jiǎo
Many people busily working together in disorder
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四通八达
sì tōng bā dá
Extending in all directions; well-connected
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半斤八两
bàn jīn bā liǎng
Essentially the same despite appearances
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十有八九
shí yǒu bā jiǔ
Very high probability at about 80-90 percent
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七嘴八舌
qī zuǐ bā shé
Everyone talking at once; lively discussion
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丢三落四
diū sān là sì
Habitually forgetful and disorganized
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五花八门
wǔ huā bā mén
A bewildering variety; all kinds of
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 七上八下 mean in English?
七上八下 (qī shàng bā xià) literally translates to “Seven up eight down” and is used to express “Anxious and unsettled”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 七上八下 used?
Situation: The candidate felt extremely anxious while waiting for the interview results
What is the pinyin for 七上八下?
The pinyin pronunciation for 七上八下 is “qī shàng bā xià”.
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