牵肠挂肚

牽腸掛肚
qiānchángguàdù
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 to tug at one's heart and belly
  2. 2 to be deeply worried or preoccupied (about someone or something)

Examples

Háizi chūmén zàiwài, fùmǔ zǒngshì qiānchángguàdù.
When children are away from home, parents are always anxious about them.
Zhè jiàn shì ràng tā qiānchángguàdù, zhěng yè shuìbùzháo.
This matter gnawed at him so badly he couldn't sleep all night.
Tā duì yuǎnfāng de nǚ'ér zǒng yǒu zhǒng qiānchángguàdù de gǎnjué.
She always felt a gnawing worry for her daughter far away.

Tips

memory
Literally 'pulling on the intestines, hanging from the belly.' In classical Chinese the gut is the seat of deep emotion — hence the visceral 'worry-sickness' image.
usage
Reserved for genuine, drawn-out worry about loved ones or important matters — not momentary anxiety. Often paired with 思念, 担心, or .

Stroke Order

qiān
cháng
guà