忑 (tè) - uneasy, nervous, apprehensive & used primarily in the compound word 忐忑 (tǎntè)

忑Tone 4

tè ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 心

檀婷

忑 · tè

uneasy, nervous, apprehensive;

used primarily in the compound word 忐忑 (tǎntè) meaning perturbed or unsettled.

uneasy, nervous, apprehensiveused primarily in the compound word 忐忑 (tǎntè)

Usage highlights

restlessuneasyanxiousperturbednervous

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He felt uneasy (忐忑不安).
  • Her heart was restless (心里忐忑).
  • The uncertainty made him anxious (忐忑不定).

Collocations

  • restless(忐忑)
  • uneasy(忐忑不安)
  • anxious(忐忑不定)
  • perturbed(忐忑)
  • nervous(忐忑)

Idioms

  • Restless and uneasy(忐忑不安)
  • Anxious and unsettled(忐忑不定)
  • Perturbed in heart(心中忐忑)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Almost exclusively used in the reduplicative compound 忐忑 (tǎntè) to depict a state of mental agitation or anxiety.
  • The character visually suggests 'heart' (心) below 'above' (上 variant), symbolizing a heart unsettled or 'up in the air'.

FAQ