How to Write 惴 (zhuì) — Meaning “anxious”

Imagine a heart (忄) that is trembling like a leaf at the very tip (耑) of a branch. This visual of a heart shaking at the edge helps recall the meaning 'anxious' or 'uneasy'.

The left radical 忄 is written first, with two vertical dots and a vertical stroke; it should be narrower than the right side. The right part 耑 starts with a short horizontal stroke, then a vertical, and ends with 而 — make sure the lower 而 is centered and not too wide. A common mistake is writing the 而 part too large or misplacing the vertical strokes.

悃 (kǔn) means 'sincere' or 'earnest' and uses the heart radical with 困 (kùn, meaning trapped), so it conveys a trapped, honest feeling. 悄 (qiǎo) means 'quiet' or 'silent', with the heart radical and 肖 (xiào, meaning resemble), focusing on stillness. In contrast, 惴 specifically describes nervous anxiety or fear, not sincerity or quietness.

惴 is almost always used in the common four-character idiom 惴惴不安 (zhuì zhuì bù ān), meaning 'uneasy' or 'on edge'. It describes a feeling of worry or apprehension, often before an uncertain event. Because it is a literary word, you will mostly encounter it in writing or formal speech rather than daily conversation.

Common words containing 惴 include: 惴惴不安 (zhuì zhuì bù ān) — uneasy; 惴惴 (zhuì zhuì) — on edge; 惴恐 (zhuì kǒng) — terrified.