心慌

• Pinyin: xīn huāng
• Hanzi breakdown: 心 = heart (pictograph); 慌 = 忄(heart radical) + 荒 (desolate/wild — a desolate heart, panicked)

Meaning

To feel flustered, anxious, or panicky; a sense of agitation or unease in the heart.

Describes a state of inner agitation or anxiety, often in response to an unexpected situation or a stressful event. Can also refer to palpitations in a medical context. Commonly used in colloquial speech to describe nervousness or panic.

Examples

1. 考试成绩出来前，她心里一直慌着，根本没办法集中精神做其他事。 Before the exam results came out, she was anxious the whole time and couldn’t focus on anything else.
2. 听到门外有异常声响，他心慌起来，立刻拨打了急救电话。 Hearing an unusual sound outside the door, he panicked and immediately called 911.
3. 演讲前他极度心慌，手心全是汗，声音也开始颤抖。 Before the speech, he was extremely nervous—his palms were sweaty, and his voice started to tremble.

Usage Guide

Context: emotions, everyday, medicine, psychology

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 突然接到老家来的电话，她顿时心慌起来，生怕是家里出了什么急事。(The moment she received a call from her hometown, her heart began to race with anxiety, fearing something urgent had happened at home.)
• 他最近常常无缘无故感到心慌，医生建议他做一次全面的心脏检查。(He has been feeling palpitations for no apparent reason recently; the doctor recommended a comprehensive cardiac check-up.)

Don't Say

• 我很心慌你 — 心慌 is intransitive and does not take a person as an object; say 我因为你的事情很心慌 or use 担心 instead

Origin & History

心 (heart) + 慌 (panic/flustered) — the heart in a state of flustered agitation

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal