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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "nervous" in Chinese?
紧张
jǐnzhāng
In Chinese, "nervous" is 紧张.
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Pronunciation
Two syllables: first 'jin' (rising tone), second 'zhang' (falling tone), like tension being pulled tight then released.
Writing and usage
Two characters totaling 13 strokes combined; the first can mean tight or tense, and the second relates to spreading or stretching, together conveying mental strain.
Example sentence
我在考试前很紧张。
I am nervous before the exam.
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How to remember 紧张
Picture tension getting tighter and then anxiously spreading through your body.
Related words
- eighty-one 八十一 bā shí yī
- fog 雾 wù
- ninety-eight 九十八 jiǔ shí bā
- sixty-five 六十五 liù shí wǔ
- slow 慢 màn
- small 小 xiǎo
- thirteen 十三 shí sān
- thirty 三十 sān shí
- white 白 bái
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 紧张
How do you say "nervous" in Chinese?
In Chinese, "nervous" is 紧张. It is a noun.
How is 紧张 written in Chinese?
Two characters totaling 13 strokes combined; the first can mean tight or tense, and the second relates to spreading or stretching, together conveying mental strain.
How is 紧张 used in a sentence?
Use 紧张 as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: 我在考试前很紧张。 (I am nervous before the exam.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
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"Nervous" in other languages
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