toss and turn; restless with worry or longing
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to toss and turn (in bed); to be restless and unable to sleep due to worry, anxiety, or longing
literaryOriginating from the Classic of Poetry (《诗经·周南·关雎》): '悠哉悠哉，辗转反侧' (Longing, longing, I toss and turn). Originally described the restlessness of romantic longing, now extended to general anxiety-induced insomnia.
Míng明
tiān天
yào要
cān参
jiā加
zhòng重
yào要
de的
miàn面
shì试
，
tā他
jǐn紧
zhāng张
de得
zhǎn辗
zhuǎn转
fǎn反
cè侧
，
yī一
yè夜
wèi未
néng能
chéng成
mián眠
。
With an important interview tomorrow, he was so nervous that he tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep.
Zì自
cóng从
ér儿
zi子
chū出
guó国
liú留
xué学
hòu后
，
tā她
cháng常
cháng常
sī思
niàn念
bù不
yǐ已
，
měi每
zhì至
shēn深
yè夜
biàn便
zhǎn辗
zhuǎn转
fǎn反
cè侧
。
Ever since her son went abroad to study, she often misses him terribly, tossing and turning every night.
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Tīng听
dào到
gōng公
sī司
jí即
jiāng将
cái裁
yuán员
de的
xiāo消
xi息
，
yuán员
gōng工
men们
rén人
rén人
zì自
wēi危
，
dāng当
wǎn晚
xǔ许
duō多
rén人
zhǎn辗
zhuǎn转
fǎn反
cè侧
。
Hearing the news that the company was about to lay off staff, everyone felt insecure, and many tossed and turned that night.