諺語 · a single proverb
如坐針氈
Simplified: 如坐针毡
What does 如坐針氈 (rú zuò zhēn zhān) mean?
如坐針氈 (rú zuò zhēn zhān) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "like sitting on a mat of needles." In use it means: Extreme anxiety or discomfort. You look calm. Underneath, every second hurts. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.
Literally: "like sitting on a mat of needles."
The reading
The mat looks normal from the outside. The person sitting on it looks composed. But underneath, the needles are pricking with every breath. This is the specific misery of situations where you must smile while something sharp is happening under the surface.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Book of Jin 晉書 (杜錫傳)
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 如坐針氈 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 如坐針氈 (rú zuò zhēn zhān) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Book of Jin 晉書 (杜錫傳). It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 如坐針氈?
In Mandarin it is rú zuò zhēn zhān. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 如坐針氈 aloud in Mandarin.