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March 24, 2026
焦急jiāojí(jiao1ji2)
焦急 (jiāojí) refers to a state of anxiety or being anxious, often due to uncertainty or concern about a situation. It is commonly used in contexts where someone is eagerly waiting for news or outcome, highlighting a sense of urgency and emotional distress.
Frequency#16300DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing 焦急 can be linked to the societal pressure of success and the importance of family, where individuals may feel anxious about meeting expectations.
Memory Tip
Think of 焦 (jiāo) as 'burning' and 急 (jí) as 'urgent.' Imagine a person waiting so anxiously for a phone call that they feel like they're on fire with worry, burning with impatience.
Meanings of 焦急
jiāojí(jiao1ji2)
1anxiety
2anxious
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 焦急
焦急Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#16300Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 焦急
Podcast: 焦急
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AI Study Notes for 焦急
Quick Contrast
焦虑 (jiāolǜ) - use 焦急 when emphasizing a sense of urgency in waiting, while 焦虑 conveys a broader sense of anxiety without the same immediacy.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 焦 (jiāo) as 'burning' and 急 (jí) as 'urgent.' Imagine a person waiting so anxiously for a phone call that they feel like they're on fire with worry, burning with impatience.
Usage Notes
焦急 is typically used in informal settings, but can also appear in written forms like letters or social media when expressing personal feelings of anxiety. Be careful with the tone; it is easy to confuse it with other words like 担心 (dānxīn), which means 'to worry' but is less intense than 焦急.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 word, 焦急 connects with other advanced vocabulary regarding emotions and mental states, such as 紧张 (jǐnzhāng, 'nervous') and 恐惧 (kǒngjù, 'fear'). Students should focus on using it in context to express varying levels of anxiety.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing 焦急 can be linked to the societal pressure of success and the importance of family, where individuals may feel anxious about meeting expectations.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 焦急 with other anxiety-related words like 担心 or 忧虑 (yōulǜ, 'to worry'). A common mistake is saying '我很担心' (wǒ hěn dānxīn) when feeling a sense of urgency; it would be more accurate to use '我很焦急' (wǒ hěn jiāojí).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 焦急
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Grammar Patterns of 焦急
焦急 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
____万分的鲍勃和汉斯把整座房子找了个遍。
Desperate with anxiety, Bob and Hans searched the whole house.
Example Sentences for 焦急 (8)
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1
焦急万分的鲍勃和汉斯把整座房子找了个遍。
jiāo jí wàn fēn de bào bó hé hàn sī bǎ zhěng zuò fáng zǐ zhǎo le gè biàn。
Desperate with anxiety, Bob and Hans searched the whole house.
2
他们匆匆地走来走去，一言不发，面露焦急之色。
tā mén cōng cōng dì zǒu lái zǒu qù， ， yī yán bù， fā ， miàn lòu jiāo jí。
They hurried about in dead silence, with anxious faces.
3
他焦急万分地对着电话那头的她大喊大叫。
tā jiāo jí wàn fēn dì duì zháo diàn huà nà tóu de tā dà hǎn dà jiào。
He had shouted down the phone at her, beside himself with anxiety.
4
数小时的焦急等待之后,整个人变得精疲力竭.
shù xiǎo shí de jiāo jí děng dài zhī hòu, , zhěng gè rén biàn dé jīng pí lì.
A desperate tiredness set in after hours of anxious waiting.
5
人们一直在焦急地等待使形势出现转机的机会。
rén mén yī zhí zài jiāo jí dì děng dài shǐ xíng shì chū xiàn zhuǎn jī de jī huì。
People have been waiting impatiently for a chance to improve the situation.
With two children bedridden the mother was ill at ease.
7
他多次停下笔来, 擦擦脑门上的汗极力想按压下内心的焦急.
tā duō cì tíng xià bǐ lái, , cā cā nǎo mén shàng de hàn jí lì xiǎng àn yā xià nèi xīn de jiāo.
He halted many times, wiped his forehead and tried unsuccessfully to conceal his anxiety from himself.
8
神色紧张的诺玛在打电话,焦急地听着对方铃响.
shén sè jǐn zhāng de nuò mǎ zài dǎ diàn huà, , jiāo jí dì tīng zháo duì fāng líng.
An agitated Norma is on the phone impatiently listening to the rings.
Cultural Notes for 焦急
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, expressing 焦急 can be linked to the societal pressure of success and the importance of family, where individuals may feel anxious about meeting expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions about 焦急
Common synonyms include 担心 (dānxīn, 'worried') and 紧张 (jǐnzhāng, 'nervous'), but 焦急 conveys a stronger sense of urgency.
Generally, 焦急 has a negative connotation, indicating distress, but it can be used in contexts where eagerness leads to anxiety.
Make sure to pronounce 焦 (jiāo) with a high-level tone and 急 (jí) with a rising tone to convey the right meaning.
