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如坐針氈

简如坐针毡 · 繁如坐針氈

Mandarin · pinyin rú zuò zhēn zhān

lit. as if sitting on pins and needles (idiom)
fig. to be in an uncomfortable situation

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Characters in this entry

如: rú · if, supposing; as if; like, as
坐: zuò · sit; seat; ride, travel by
針: Look up this written character
氈: Look up this written character
针: zhēn · needle; pin; tack; acupuncture
毡: zhān · felt; rug, carpet

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2–4–1–1 · ru2 zuo4 zhen1 zhan1

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

如坐針氈 · find source passages ↗ · 如坐针毡 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

jyu4 zo5 zam1 zin1

Cantonese word readings for 如坐針氈. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(simile) to feel very anxious and uneasy

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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