nervous; tense; in short supply
HSK level
紧张 (jǐnzhāng) is an adjective meaning 'nervous, tense, or under strain.'
It covers a wider range than any single English word, spanning three related senses: an emotional state ('I'm nervous before the exam'), a physical or situational tension ('the atmosphere was tense'), and — surprisingly for English speakers — scarcity or being in short supply ('时间很紧张,' time is tight; '资金紧张,' funds are strained). This third meaning has no obvious link to 'nervous' in English but is very common in Chinese news and daily life. As an adjective it usually takes 很 (hěn) or another degree adverb: 很紧张.
It can also be a verb-like state you 'get into' — 别紧张 ('don't be nervous') is the standard reassurance. The opposite for the emotional sense is 放松 (fàngsōng, 'relax').
Character by character
Memory hook: 紧 (tight) + 张 (stretched) → strung tight like a bowstring → tense and nervous.
紧张 appears in 1 Fluentide podcast episode at natural native speed — each with the full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Browse the full episode library考试以前我总是很紧张。
Kǎoshì yǐqián wǒ zǒngshì hěn jǐnzhāng.
I'm always nervous before an exam.
spoken
别紧张，慢慢说。
Bié jǐnzhāng, mànman shuō.
Don't be nervous, take your time speaking.
spoken
最近工作太多，时间很紧张。
Zuìjìn gōngzuò tài duō, shíjiān hěn jǐnzhāng.
There's too much work lately, time is really tight.
neutral
会议室里的气氛十分紧张。
Huìyìshì lǐ de qìfēn shífēn jǐnzhāng.
The atmosphere in the meeting room was extremely tense.
written
紧张 is written with 17 strokes (紧: 10, 张: 7). Tap replay to watch each character drawn again.
着急 is 'anxious / worried / in a hurry' about a specific outcome, driven by impatience. 紧张 is a tense, keyed-up state, often physical. You get 着急 when you're late; you get 紧张 before a performance.
焦虑 is deeper, more sustained 'anxiety,' often clinical or long-term. 紧张 is usually momentary situational tension. A doctor discusses 焦虑; you say 紧张 before a test.
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