芒刺在背

Chinese

		Miscanthus sinensis	thorn; sting; prick thorn; sting; prick; pierce; stab; thrust; assassinate; murder	(located) at; in; exist (located) at; in; exist; (before verbs) immediately involved in; right in the middle of doing	learn by heart; the back of the body; to be burdened learn by heart; the back of the body; to be burdened; to carry on the back or shoulder
trad. (芒刺在背)		芒	刺	在	背
simp. ^#(芒刺在背)		芒	刺	在	背

Etymology

From the Book of Han [circa 105].

宣帝始立，謁見高廟，大將軍光從驂乘，上内嚴憚之，若有芒刺在背。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

宣帝始立，谒见高庙，大将军光从骖乘，上内严惮之，若有芒刺在背。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Han, circa 1^st century CE

Xuāndì shǐ lì, yèjiàn gāo miào, dàjiāngjūn Guāng cóng cān chéng, shàng nèi yán dàn zhī, ruò yǒu mángcìzàibèi. [Pinyin]

When Emperor Hsuan first came to the throne and went to pay his respects in the temple of Kao-tsu, the general in chief rode by his side in the carriage. As a result, the emperor felt great awe and fear in his heart; it was as though he had a sharp thorn sticking in his back.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): mángcìzàibèi

(Zhuyin): ㄇㄤˊ ㄘˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄅㄟˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): mong⁴ ci³ zoi⁶ bui³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: mángcìzàibèi
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄤˊ ㄘˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄅㄟˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: mángcìhzàibèi
  - Wade–Giles: mang²-tzʻŭ⁴-tsai⁴-pei⁴
  - Yale: máng-tsz̀-dzài-bèi
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mangtsyhtzaybey
  - Palladius: манцыцзайбэй (mancyczajbɛj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɑŋ³⁵ t͡sʰz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ peɪ̯⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: mong⁴ ci³ zoi⁶ bui³
  - Yale: mòhng chi joih bui
  - Cantonese Pinyin: mong⁴ tsi³ dzoi⁶ bui³
  - Guangdong Romanization: mong⁴ qi³ zoi⁶ bui³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɔːŋ²¹ t͡sʰiː³³ t͡sɔːi̯²² puːi̯³³/

Idiom

芒刺在背

to be jittery; to be on pins and needles