Chinese Idiom: 忧心忡忡 (You Xin Chong Chong)
English Translation: Deeply Worried
pīn yīn: yōu xīn chōng chōng
Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes someone who is full of worries, feeling deeply troubled and anxious. The word “忡忡” (chōng chōng) refers to a state of unease and concern.
Historical Source: The Book of Songs (《诗经》), specifically from the “Zhao Nan” (召南) section, in the poem “Grass Insects” (草虫).
Idiom Story:
The poem “Grass Insects” from The Book of Songs is a folk song that tells the story of a woman who is deeply troubled by thoughts of her beloved. The poem captures her sorrow while waiting for him and her joy when they finally meet. The poem is composed of three stanzas. The first stanza is as follows:
Original Text:
要要草虫，耀耀阜螽。未见君子，忧心忡忡。亦既见止，亦既觏止，我心则降!
Translation:
The grass insects chirp noisily, the grasshoppers jump about. Before seeing my beloved, my heart is filled with anxiety. But once I see him, once I meet him, my heart is at peace!
The word “忧心忡忡” (yōu xīn chōng chōng) originates from this poem, where it vividly conveys the woman’s intense anxiety before meeting her beloved. Over time, the phrase “忧心忡忡” became an idiom, used to describe someone who is deeply worried or anxious.
