紧张

• Pinyin: jǐn zhāng
• Hanzi breakdown: 紧 = 臤 (firm) + 糸 (silk), meaning tight; 张 = 弓 (bow) + 长 (long), meaning to stretch or spread

Meaning

Nervous; tense; anxious. Describes feeling worried or stressed, especially before an important event.

Can describe both emotional tension (feeling nervous) and situational tension (a tense atmosphere, strained relations). Also used for resource scarcity, as in 资源紧张 (resources are strained). One of the most commonly used words for describing anxiety or stress in daily life.

Examples

1. 明天要考试，我有点紧张。 I have an exam tomorrow and I'm a bit nervous.
2. 第一次演讲的时候他非常紧张。 He was extremely nervous during his first speech.
3. 别紧张，慢慢说就好。 Don't be nervous — just speak slowly.

Usage Guide

Context: emotions, exams, everyday

Tone: empathetic

Do Say

• 面试前我总是很紧张。(I'm always nervous before interviews.)
• 两国关系最近比较紧张。(Relations between the two countries have been quite tense recently.)

Don't Say

• 我的绳子很紧张。(Don't use 紧张 for physical tightness of objects — use 紧 alone. 紧张 describes emotional or situational tension, not physical tightness.)

Origin & History

Compound of 紧 (tight) and 张 (to stretch, to spread). The image of something stretched tight evokes tension and nervousness.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal