ziu1 sam1焦心

Jyutpingziu1 sam1

Yalejīu sām

Definition

Anxious, troubled, or deeply worried.

neutralemotion

How it's used

Expresses a deep, internal sense of worry or fretfulness that often stems from concern for others or a pressing situation. It carries a slightly more literary or formal weight compared to the common spoken term 擔心, making it sound more intense or descriptive of a state of mind. You will often hear it used in contexts where someone is physically restless or unable to settle down due to their nerves.

Examples

gin3見dou2到go3個zai2仔gam3咁noi6耐dou1都mei6未faan1返，keoi5佢zan1真hai6係hou2好ziu1焦sam1心。

Seeing that her son hasn't returned for so long, she is really anxious.

nei5你m4唔sai2使gam3咁ziu1焦sam1心，gin6件si6事hou2好faai3快wui2會gaai2解kyut3決㗎laa1喇。

You don't need to be so anxious, the matter will be resolved very soon.

Common phrases

ziu1焦sam1心jyu4如fan4焚

anxious as if burning

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with 擔心, but 焦心 implies a more visceral, burning sense of anxiety that keeps one from peace, whereas 擔心 is a general, everyday term for being worried about something.