惶恐不安

huángkǒngbù'ān

idiom

Meanings

Tīngdào xiāoxi hòu, quán cūn rén huángkǒngbù'ān.

After hearing the news, the whole village was gripped by fear.

Miànshì qián tā huángkǒngbù'ān, shǒuxīn zhí mào hàn.

Before the interview he was so nervous his palms were sweating.

history

Phrase documented in 《汉书·王莽传》 via Tang commentator Yan Shigu, who glossed 正营 as 惶恐不安之意 — 'the sense of being terrified and uneasy'.

惶 huáng

恐 kǒng

不 bù

安 ān