Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== zhāojí: 着急 - Worried, Anxious, Impatient ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** zhaoji, zhao ji meaning, 着急, anxious in Chinese, worried in Chinese, impatient in Chinese, how to use zhaoji, don't worry in Chinese, HSK 3 vocabulary, Chinese emotions * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese word **着急 (zhāojí)**, which describes the common feeling of being worried, anxious, or impatient, especially when facing a deadline or an unresolved problem. This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage with over 10 example sentences, helping you understand when to feel **着急** and how to tell others "**别着急**" (bié zhāojí - don't worry). ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** zhāojí * **Part of Speech:** Verb / Adjective * **HSK Level:** HSK 3 * **Concise Definition:** To feel worried, anxious, or impatient due to a sense of urgency. * **In a Nutshell:** **着急 (zhāojí)** is that antsy, agitated feeling you get when you're running late for a flight, waiting for an important phone call, or can't figure out a pressing problem. It's a combination of worry and impatience. It's not a permanent state of anxiety, but a temporary, situational reaction to something that needs to be resolved soon. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **着 (zháo):** This character has multiple pronunciations and meanings. In this context, it's pronounced **zháo** and means "to be affected by," "to catch (a cold, a fire)," or "to feel." It implies an external trigger causing an internal state. * **急 (jí):** This character means "urgent," "impatient," or "anxious." The character itself originally contained the heart radical (心), signifying that this is a feeling that comes from the heart. It's all about haste and urgency. Putting them together, **着急 (zhāojí)** literally means "to be affected by urgency." This perfectly captures the essence of the word: an external situation (like a looming deadline) causes you to "catch" a feeling of internal anxiety and impatience. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== **着急 (zhāojí)** is a cornerstone of daily emotional expression in China. In a culture that often values efficiency, timeliness, and problem-solving, the feeling of `着急` is a common and understandable reaction to delays or obstacles. A useful comparison for Western learners is to contrast **着急 (zhāojí)** with the English concept of "anxiety." * **着急 (zhāojí)** is almost always **situational and temporary**. You are `着急` //because// your train is late, or //because// your child has a fever. The feeling is directly tied to a specific, external problem that has a time component. * "Anxiety" in English can be similar, but it can also refer to a more chronic, free-floating psychological state (what Chinese would call **焦虑 (jiāolǜ)**). You wouldn't typically say you have a "着急 disorder." Because it's such a common feeling, comforting someone by saying **别着急 (bié zhāojí)**, which means "Don't worry," "Take it easy," or "Take your time," is an extremely frequent and important social gesture. It's a way to soothe frayed nerves, show support, and restore a sense of calm and harmony, which are highly valued in social interactions. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== **着急 (zhāojí)** is used constantly in everyday conversation. It's neither formal nor overly informal. * **In Conversation:** You'll hear it when people are stuck in traffic, waiting for test results, worried about a family member's health, or rushing to finish a task. * **As a Verb:** It can be used as a verb, often in the pattern "为...着急" (wèi... zhāojí) - "to be anxious for/about...". It can also be a separable verb, as in "你着什么急?" (nǐ zháo shénme jí?) - "What are you getting so worked up about?" * **As an Adjective:** It often functions like an adjective, especially after adverbs like 很 (hěn), 非常 (fēicháng), or 真 (zhēn). For example, "我心里很着急" (wǒ xīnlǐ hěn zhāojí) - "I'm very worried/anxious." ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 快点儿，我要迟到了，真**着急**！ * Pinyin: Kuài diǎnr, wǒ yào chídào le, zhēn **zhāojí**! * English: Hurry up, I'm going to be late, I'm so anxious! * Analysis: This is a classic use of `着急` to express anxiety due to a time constraint. * **Example 2:** * 儿子这么晚还没回家，她心里很**着急**。 * Pinyin: Érzi zhème wǎn hái méi huíjiā, tā xīnlǐ hěn **zhāojí**. * English: Her son still hasn't come home this late, she's very worried. * Analysis: Here, `着急` is used to mean "worried" about someone's safety. The urgency comes from the unexpected delay. * **Example 3:** * **别着急**，我们还有很多时间，慢慢来。 * Pinyin: **Bié zhāojí**, wǒmen hái yǒu hěnduō shíjiān, màn man lái. * English: Don't worry / Take it easy, we still have plenty of time, let's take it slow. * Analysis: **别着急 (bié zhāojí)** is an essential phrase for calming someone down. * **Example 4:** * 你**着**什么**急**？飞机要到晚上才起飞。 * Pinyin: Nǐ **zháo** shénme **jí**? Fēijī yào dào wǎnshang cái qǐfēi. * English: What are you so impatient about? The plane doesn't take off until tonight. * Analysis: This example shows `着急` used as a separable verb (`着...急`), a common pattern in questions. * **Example 5:** * 找不到我的护照了，真是急死我了！ (A common variation is 急死我了 jí sǐ wǒ le) * Pinyin: Zhǎo bu dào wǒ de hùzhào le, zhēn shì **jí sǐ wǒ le**! * English: I can't find my passport, I'm worried to death! * Analysis: `急死我了` is a very common idiomatic expression that intensifies the feeling of `着急`. It literally means "anxious to death." * **Example 6:** * 客户明天就要这个方案，我们得抓紧，他很**着急**。 * Pinyin: Kèhù míngtiān jiù yào zhège fāng'àn, wǒmen děi zhuājǐn, tā hěn **zhāojí**. * English: The client wants this proposal by tomorrow, we have to hurry, he's very anxious (for it). * Analysis: Demonstrates `着急` in a business context related to a deadline. * **Example 7:** * 他脸上带着**着急**的表情，好像出了什么事。 * Pinyin: Tā liǎn shàng dàizhe **zhāojí** de biǎoqíng, hǎoxiàng chū le shénme shì. * English: He had a worried look on his face, as if something had happened. * Analysis: Here, `着急` is used as an adjective modifying "表情" (biǎoqíng - expression). * **Example 8:** * 你光**着急**也没用啊，得赶紧想个办法解决问题。 * Pinyin: Nǐ guāng **zhāojí** yě méi yòng a, děi gǎnjǐn xiǎng ge bànfǎ jiějué wèntí. * English: It's useless for you to just worry, you have to quickly think of a way to solve the problem. * Analysis: This sentence highlights that `着急` is just a feeling; action is needed. `光 (guāng)` here means "just" or "only." * **Example 9:** * 我在**着急**地等待面试的结果。 * Pinyin: Wǒ zài **zhāojí** de děngdài miànshì de jiéguǒ. * English: I am anxiously waiting for the interview results. * Analysis: The adverbial particle `地 (de)` is used to show that `着急` is describing the action of waiting. * **Example 10:** * 这个问题太复杂了，真让人**着急**。 * Pinyin: Zhège wèntí tài fùzá le, zhēn ràng rén **zhāojí**. * English: This problem is too complicated, it really makes one anxious. * Analysis: The pattern `让(ràng) + 人(rén) + 着急` means "to make people anxious/worried." ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== The most common mistake for learners is confusing `着急` with `担心 (dānxīn)`. * **着急 (zhāojí)** vs. **担心 (dānxīn) - Worry vs. Urgent Worry** * **着急 (zhāojí)** has a built-in sense of **urgency and impatience**. It's worry + a ticking clock. * **担心 (dānxīn)** is a more general, "purer" worry. It can be about something immediate or far in the future, without the feeling of needing to do something //right now//. * **Correct:** 我很**着急**，因为我快迟到了。(I'm anxious because I'm almost late.) -> //Urgency is key.// * **Correct:** 我很**担心**他的健康。(I'm worried about his health.) -> //This is a general, ongoing concern.// * **Incorrect:** *我很着急世界的和平。 (I am impatient for world peace.) This sounds strange because the problem isn't something you can solve immediately. You would use `担心` here. * **着急 (zhāojí)** vs. **焦虑 (jiāolǜ) - Anxious vs. Anxiety** * As mentioned, `着急` is for everyday, situational stress. * `焦虑 (jiāolǜ)` is a more formal, heavier term. It's used for long-term anxiety and in psychological or medical contexts. e.g., 焦虑症 (jiāolǜzhèng) is "anxiety disorder." ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[担心]] (dānxīn) - The closest synonym, meaning "to worry," but it lacks the strong sense of urgency or impatience found in `着急`. * [[焦虑]] (jiāolǜ) - A more formal and clinical term for "anxiety" or "apprehension," often referring to a chronic condition. * [[急忙]] (jímáng) - An adverb meaning "hastily" or "in a hurry." This is the //action// you take because you //feel// `着急`. * [[赶紧]] (gǎnjǐn) - An adverb meaning "hurriedly" or "without losing time." It's often used in commands to urge someone to act quickly, precisely because the situation is `着急`. * [[耐心]] (nàixīn) - An antonym meaning "patience." If you are not `着急`, you have `耐心`. * [[别着急]] (bié zhāojí) - A crucial phrase meaning "Don't worry," "Take it easy." * [[上火]] (shàng huǒ) - A Traditional Chinese Medicine concept of the body becoming "inflamed" due to stress, lack of sleep, or certain foods. Feeling `着急` for a long time can cause you to `上火`. * [[等不及]] (děng bu jí) - A phrase meaning "can't wait." This expresses the impatience component of `着急`. * [[火急火燎]] (huǒ jí huǒ liáo) - An idiom describing someone being extremely anxious and agitated, as if being burned by fire. A much stronger version of `着急`.