焦虑

• Pinyin: jiāo lǜ
• Hanzi breakdown: 焦 = agitated, burnt with worry; 虑 = 虍 (tiger) + 思 — anxious thinking

Meaning

Anxious; anxiety. A persistent state of worry, unease, or nervous tension.

More formal and clinical than 焦急, often used in psychological or medical contexts. Describes ongoing anxiety rather than situational impatience. Common collocations include 焦虑症 (anxiety disorder) and 焦虑情绪 (anxious feelings).

Examples

1. 现代人普遍面临着各种焦虑，工作、房子、孩子教育都让人发愁。 Modern people generally face various anxieties — work, housing, and children's education all cause worry.
2. 长期焦虑会对身心健康产生严重影响。 Long-term anxiety can have serious effects on physical and mental health.
3. 她因为明天的面试感到十分焦虑，整晚都没睡好。 She felt extremely anxious about tomorrow's interview and didn't sleep well all night.

Usage Guide

Context: psychology, health, everyday

Tone: clinical

Do Say

• 她有严重的考试焦虑。(She has severe test anxiety.)
• 学会放松可以缓解焦虑。(Learning to relax can relieve anxiety.)

Don't Say

• 用'焦虑'描述短暂的紧张 (Don't use 焦虑 for brief nervousness — it implies persistent anxiety; use 紧张 for short-term tension)

Origin & History

Composed of 焦 (burnt; agitated) + 虑 (to consider; to worry). Together they describe worried, troubled thinking.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal