急躁

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jízào: 急躁 - Impatient, Impetuous, Irritable

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: jizao, 急躁, jizao meaning, Chinese for impatient, impetuous in Chinese, irritable in Chinese, rash, hot-tempered, jizao vs zhaoji, Chinese culture patience, HSK 4 vocabulary.
  • Summary: Learn the meaning of 急躁 (jízào), a common Chinese adjective used to describe someone who is impatient, impetuous, and easily irritated. This comprehensive guide explores its cultural significance, contrasting with the Western “hustle” mindset, and provides practical examples for everyday conversation. Understand why being 急躁 (jízào) is viewed negatively in Chinese culture and learn how to use it correctly to describe a temporary mood or a personality trait.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): jízào
  • Part of Speech: Adjective
  • HSK Level: HSK 4
  • Concise Definition: Describes a state of being impatient, restless, and prone to acting rashly or becoming irritable.
  • In a Nutshell: 急躁 (jízào) is more than just not wanting to wait. It's an internal state of agitation and a lack of composure. Imagine feeling so rushed and anxious that you can't think clearly, get easily annoyed with delays, and might make sloppy mistakes. It's the feeling of “I need this done NOW!” combined with a hot-tempered, restless energy. It almost always has a negative connotation.

Character Breakdown

  • 急 (jí): This character means “urgent,” “anxious,” or “in a hurry.” The top part can be associated with a person, and the bottom part, 心 (xīn), means “heart.” So, 急 (jí) fundamentally represents a feeling of urgency or anxiety in one's heart.
  • 躁 (zào): This character means “restless,” “agitated,” or “impetuous.” It's composed of the foot radical 足 (zú) on the left and 品 (pǐn) on the right. The foot radical strongly suggests physical restlessness—fidgeting, pacing, or an inability to stay still.
  • Together, 急躁 (jízào) paints a vivid picture: a heart full of urgency (急) combined with a restless, agitated body (躁). This fusion creates the meaning of a person who is not only mentally impatient but also physically unable to be calm, leading to irritability and rash actions.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • In Chinese culture, patience (耐心 nàixīn) and composure (冷静 lěngjìng) are highly esteemed virtues. Traditional philosophies, from Daoism to Confucianism, emphasize balance, deliberation, and harmony. The idiom 三思而后行 (sān sī ér hòu xíng) - “think three times before acting” - perfectly encapsulates this value.
  • 急躁 (jízào) is the direct antithesis of this ideal. It is seen as a sign of immaturity, a lack of self-control, and poor cultivation. A person who is 急躁 (jízào) is considered unreliable because their impatience may lead them to make careless mistakes, overlook important details, or damage interpersonal relationships (关系 guānxi) by being irritable and difficult.
  • Comparison to Western Culture: While Western culture, particularly in American business, might sometimes praise a “sense of urgency” or a “move fast and break things” attitude, this is not what 急躁 (jízào) means. A proactive and driven person is admired in both cultures. However, 急躁 (jízào) implies that this urgency has curdled into a negative state of emotional agitation and poor judgment. It's the difference between being efficiently quick and being hastily sloppy. In China, maintaining a calm and thoughtful demeanor, even when under pressure, is far more respected.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • Describing Personality: It's frequently used to describe a person's general temperament. For example, “他性子很急躁 (tā xìngzi hěn jízào)” means “He has a very impatient/impetuous personality.”
  • Describing a Temporary State: It can also describe a temporary mood. For instance, after a stressful day, someone might say, “对不起，我今天有点急躁 (duìbuqǐ, wǒ jīntiān yǒudiǎn jízào),” meaning “Sorry, I'm a bit on edge today.”
  • In the Workplace: A manager might criticize an employee for being 急躁 (jízào) if they rushed a project and made errors. “做事不能太急躁，要注重细节 (Zuòshì bùnéng tài jízào, yào zhùzhòng xìjié)” - “You can't be too impetuous when you work; you must pay attention to details.”
  • Connotation and Formality: The connotation is always negative. It's a critique, whether gentle or harsh. It is used in both informal daily conversations and more formal settings like performance reviews.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 你别这么急躁，我们有的是时间，慢慢来。
    • Pinyin: Nǐ bié zhème jízào, wǒmen yǒudeshì shíjiān, màn man lái.
    • English: Don't be so impatient. We have plenty of time, take it slow.
    • Analysis: This is common advice given to someone who is visibly agitated or rushing. “慢慢来 (màn man lái)” is the perfect antidote to a 急躁 (jízào) state of mind.
  • Example 2:
    • 他性子很急躁，一遇到堵车就发脾气。
    • Pinyin: Tā xìngzi hěn jízào, yí yù dào dǔchē jiù fā píqì.
    • English: He has a very impetuous temperament; as soon as he hits a traffic jam, he loses his temper.
    • Analysis: This example links the personality trait of 急躁 (jízào) to a specific, observable action (losing one's temper, 发脾气 fā píqì).
  • Example 3:
    • 做决定前要冷静思考，急躁只会让你犯错。
    • Pinyin: Zuò juédìng qián yào lěngjìng sīkǎo, jízào zhǐ huì ràng nǐ fàncuò.
    • English: Before making a decision, you need to think calmly; being rash will only make you make mistakes.
    • Analysis: This sentence highlights the negative consequences of being 急躁 (jízào), framing it as the opposite of “calm thinking” (冷静思考 lěngjìng sīkǎo).
  • Example 4:
    • 经理批评了他，说他工作态度急躁，不仔细。
    • Pinyin: Jīnglǐ pīpíngle tā, shuō tā gōngzuò tàidù jízào, bù zǐxì.
    • English: The manager criticized him, saying his work attitude was impetuous and not careful.
    • Analysis: A classic example of using 急躁 (jízào) in a professional context. It's often paired with a lack of care or detail-orientation (不仔细 bù zǐxì).
  • Example 5:
    • 随着年龄的增长，他的脾气不再那么急躁了。
    • Pinyin: Suízhe niánlíng de zēngzhǎng, tā de píqì bù zài nàme jízào le.
    • English: As he got older, his temper was no longer so irritable.
    • Analysis: This shows that 急躁 (jízào) is a trait that can change over time, often associated with gaining the wisdom and patience of age.
  • Example 6:
    • 我知道我不该急躁，但我真的很担心考试结果。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ zhīdào wǒ bù gāi jízào, dàn wǒ zhēn de hěn dānxīn kǎoshì jiéguǒ.
    • English: I know I shouldn't be on edge, but I'm really worried about the exam results.
    • Analysis: This is a good example of self-awareness. The speaker acknowledges that their worry (担心 dānxīn) is causing them to be 急躁 (jízào).
  • Example 7:
    • 看到项目进展缓慢，他变得急躁起来。
    • Pinyin: Kàn dào xiàngmù jìnzhǎn huǎnmàn, tā biàn dé jízào qǐlái.
    • English: Seeing the project's slow progress, he became impatient and agitated.
    • Analysis: The structure “变得…起来 (biàn dé… qǐlái)” indicates a change of state. He wasn't 急躁 (jízào) before, but the situation made him become so.
  • Example 8:
    • 学习一门新语言需要耐心，不能急躁。
    • Pinyin: Xuéxí yī mén xīn yǔyán xūyào nàixīn, bùnéng jízào.
    • English: Learning a new language requires patience; you can't be impetuous.
    • Analysis: This is direct advice for language learners, perfectly illustrating the cultural value of patience (耐心 nàixīn) over impatience (急躁).
  • Example 9:
    • 别催他，他一被人催就会很急躁。
    • Pinyin: Bié cuī tā, tā yī bèi rén cuī jiù huì hěn jízào.
    • English: Don't rush him; he gets very irritable as soon as someone pressures him.
    • Analysis: This shows a cause-and-effect relationship. The action of “rushing/pressuring” (催 cuī) someone leads to the state of 急躁 (jízào).
  • Example 10:
    • 这个孩子有点急躁，做什么事都想立刻看到结果。
    • Pinyin: Zhège háizi yǒudiǎn jízào, zuò shénme shì dōu xiǎng lìkè kàn dào jiéguǒ.
    • English: This child is a bit impetuous; whatever he does, he wants to see the results immediately.
    • Analysis: A perfect description of the core meaning of 急躁 (jízào)—an inability to wait and a demand for instant gratification.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • `急躁 (jízào)` vs. `着急 (zháojí)` - The Most Common Pitfall:
    • 着急 (zháojí): This means “to be worried” or “to feel anxious” about a specific thing. It's a temporary feeling, an internal state of worry.
    • 急躁 (jízào): This is the behavioral manifestation of impatience and irritability. It's how you act when you can't control your anxiety.
    • Key Difference: You can be 着急 (zháojí) without being 急躁 (jízào). For example, you can be worried (着急) about being late for a flight, but you remain calm and methodically pack your bags. If, however, your worry causes you to start yelling, throwing things in your suitcase carelessly, and getting angry at everyone, you have become 急躁 (jízào).
    • Incorrect Usage: “I'm so 急躁 (jízào) about my exam tomorrow!” (Incorrect)
    • Correct Usage: “I'm so 着急 (zháojí) about my exam tomorrow!”
    • Correct Usage: “He was so 着急 (zháojí) about the exam that he became very 急躁 (jízào) and couldn't study effectively.”
  • `急躁 (jízào)` vs. “Impatient”: While “impatient” is the closest translation, 急躁 (jízào) carries a stronger negative connotation of irritability and a lack of self-control. In English, you can be “impatient for Christmas to arrive” in an excited, positive way. You would never use 急躁 (jízào) to describe positive anticipation; it always implies a negative, agitated state.

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 耐心 (nàixīn) - The direct antonym: patience; the virtue of being able to wait calmly.
  • 着急 (zháojí) - A related feeling: anxious or worried about a specific outcome. Often the root cause of becoming 急躁 (jízào).
  • 冷静 (lěngjìng) - An antonym: calm, cool-headed, composed. The ideal state to be in, as opposed to 急躁 (jízào).
  • 烦躁 (fánzào) - A very similar term, meaning vexed, annoyed, or irritable. 烦躁 (fánzào) focuses more on the internal feeling of annoyance and agitation, while 急躁 (jízào) often implies an outward display of impetuous action.
  • 冲动 (chōngdòng) - A related action: impulsive, an impulse. Being 急躁 (jízào) often leads to 冲动 (chōngdòng) behavior.
  • 毛躁 (máozào) - A similar term meaning careless, sloppy, or forgetful, often as a result of being in a hurry. It emphasizes the lack of quality in one's actions due to haste.
  • 沉不住气 (chén bu zhù qì) - A common idiom meaning “unable to keep one's cool” or “impatient.” It's a very descriptive way to say someone is 急躁 (jízào).
  • 脾气 (píqì) - Temper, temperament. A 急躁 (jízào) person is often described as having a bad 脾气 (píqì).