芒刺在背

máng cì zài bèi

Dictionary entry

feeling brambles and thorns in one's back (idiom)

What does 芒刺在背 mean?

芒刺在背 (máng cì zài bèi) has the following dictionary meaning.

1feeling brambles and thorns in one's back (idiom)

2uneasy and nervous

3to be on pins and needles

Character breakdown

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芒mángawn (of cereals) · arista (of grain)刺cī(onom.) whoosh 在zàito exist; to be alive · (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 背bēivariant of 背[bei1]

Reviewed examples

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How to pronounce 芒刺在背

芒刺在背

máng cì zài bèi

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Base dictionary data: CC-CEDICT · CC BY-SA 4.0.