輾轉反側

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Chinese

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to toss and turn; to pass through many hands or places to turn over in bed; to be unable to sleep
trad. (輾轉反側) 輾轉 反側
simp. (辗转反侧) 辗转 反侧

Etymology

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From the Classic of Poetry, poem 1 (《詩經·周南·關雎》):

寤寐思服
悠哉悠哉輾轉反側
[Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
寤寐思服
悠哉悠哉辗转反侧
[Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Qiú zhī bù dé, wùmèi sīfú.
Yōuzāi yōuzāi, zhǎnzhuǎn fǎncè.
[Pinyin]
He sought her and found her not, and waking and sleeping he thought about her.
Long he thought; oh! long and anxiously; on his side, on his back, he turned, and back again.

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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輾轉反側

  1. to toss and turn in bed as one has something on one's mind