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惴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
zhuìnervous, apprehensivei, 12 strokes, radical 忄, Very Hard
zhuìanxiousunknown, 12 strokes, radical 忄, Very Hard
zhuìworriedunknown, 12 strokes, radical 忄, Very Hard
zhuì(zhui4) T4
  1. 1nervous, apprehensive
  2. 2anxious
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

zhuì(zhui4)

The character 惴 (zhuì) means to feel nervous, apprehensive, or anxious about something. It is often used to describe a state of unease or worry, particularly in situations where one feels uncertain or fearful about the future. This character can be found in contexts related to emotional responses, such as before an important event or during times of stress.

Strokes12RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing anxiety or worry is often seen as a sign of being considerate about relationships and responsibilities. The character is commonly used in literature and discussions about mental health, reflecting the societal emphasis on emotional awareness.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person who is so nervous that their heart is racing, making their chest feel tight (the form of the character suggests a heart, 心, and an anxious expression). The sound 'zhuì' can be remembered by picturing someone saying 'I am worried' with a shrill voice, emphasizing their apprehension.

Meanings of 惴

zhuì(zhui4)
1nervous, apprehensive
2anxious
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 惴

Simplified
12Strokes
Radical
成语chéngyǔidiom (id.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 惴

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 惴

Quick Contrast

惧 (jù) - use 惴 when emphasizing a feeling of nervousness or apprehension, while 惧 conveys a stronger sense of fear.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person who is so nervous that their heart is racing, making their chest feel tight (the form of the character suggests a heart, 心, and an anxious expression). The sound 'zhuì' can be remembered by picturing someone saying 'I am worried' with a shrill voice, emphasizing their apprehension.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 惴 with similar characters that express different levels of anxiety or fear, such as 怕 (pà) for fear. It is more commonly used in formal contexts when discussing emotions in literature or psychology, rather than in everyday conversation. Learners should also pay attention to the tone, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other words.

HSK Study Tips

While 惴 is not included in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to other emotional descriptors at similar levels, such as 忧 (yōu) for worry or 恐 (kǒng) for fear. Students should focus on understanding the nuances of emotional descriptions in Mandarin to improve their expressive capabilities.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing anxiety or worry is often seen as a sign of being considerate about relationships and responsibilities. The character is commonly used in literature and discussions about mental health, reflecting the societal emphasis on emotional awareness.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 惴 with the character 怕 (pà), leading to mistakes in usage. For instance, saying '我惴这部电影' (Wǒ zhuì zhè bù diànyǐng) instead of '我怕这部电影' (Wǒ pà zhè bù diànyǐng) which means 'I am afraid of this movie.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 惴

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Etymology of 惴

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 耑 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

heart

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 惴?

Decomposition of 惴

IDS Structure⿰忄耑
Full Character
=
xin1
left
duan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 惴?

Write 惴

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 惴

惴 functions as a four-character idiom (成语). Treat it as a fixed unit; it usually plays the role of a single adjective, adverb, or noun phrase inside the larger sentence. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

全家都是____惴不安地又很兴奋地等候“收蚕”.

Uneasy but eager, the whole family waited for the eggs to hatch.

Example Sentences for 惴 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
全家都是惴惴不安地又很兴奋地等候“收蚕”.

quán jiā dū shì zhuì zhuì bù ān dì yòu hěn xīng fèn dì děng hòu“ “ shōu”.

Uneasy but eager, the whole family waited for the eggs to hatch.

Cultural Notes for 惴

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, expressing anxiety or worry is often seen as a sign of being considerate about relationships and responsibilities. The character is commonly used in literature and discussions about mental health, reflecting the societal emphasis on emotional awareness.

Word Family of 惴

Words Containing This Character2
惴惴不安to be on tenterhooks (idiom)
zhuìanxious
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 惴惴不安 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 惴

You can say: '我对明天的演讲感到惴惴不安。' (Wǒ duì míngtiān de yǎnjiǎng gǎndào zhuìzhuì bù ān.) meaning 'I feel anxious about tomorrow's speech.'