不可终日 bù kě zhōng rì unable to live through the day

Explanation

形容心里非常害怕、焦虑不安，一天也过不下去。

Describes a feeling of extreme fear and anxiety, so much so that one cannot endure a single day.

Origin Story

战国时期，一个名叫李白的书生，怀揣着满腔抱负，千里迢迢来到都城长安，想要寻求仕途发展。然而，长安的繁华背后隐藏着深深的尔虞我诈，李白初来乍到，人地生疏，举目无亲，处处碰壁。他寄宿的客栈环境简陋，生活贫困，更让他担忧的是，他投递的求职信石沉大海，毫无音讯。每一天，李白都提心吊胆，生怕因自己的才华不被赏识而无法立足，夜里辗转难眠，白天也心神不宁，他感到自己如同漂浮不定的小舟，随时都有可能被无情的波涛吞噬。这种难以言喻的焦虑和恐惧，让他一日都过不下去，他开始怀疑自己是否做出了错误的选择，长安这个梦想中的都城，现在却像一个巨大的牢笼，将他困在其中，让他不可终日。

zhànguó shíqí, yīgè míng jiào lǐ bái de shūshēng, huáicuízhe mǎnqiāng bào fù, qiānlǐ tiáo tiáo lái dào dūchéng cháng'ān, xiǎng yāo xúnqiú shìtú fāzhǎn. rán'ér, cháng'ān de fán huá bèihòu yǐncángzhe shēnshēn de ěr yú zhà, lǐ bái chū lái zhà dào, rén dì shēngshū, jǔ mù wú qīn, chù chù pèng bì. tā jìsù de kèzhàn huánjìng jiǎnlòu, shēnghuó pínkùn, gèng ràng tā dānyōu de shì, tā tóudì de qiúzhí xìn shíchén dàhǎi, háo wú yīnxùn. měi yī tiān, lǐ bái dōu tíxīn diàodǎn, shēngpà yīn zìjǐ de cái huá bù bèi shǎngshí ér wúfǎ lìzú, yè lǐ zhǎn zhuǎn nánmián, báitiān yě xīnshén bùníng, tā gǎndào zìjǐ rútóng piāofú bùdìng de xiǎo zhōu, suíshí dōu yǒu kěnéng bèi wúqíng de bōtāo tūnshì. zhè zhǒng nán yǐ yán yù de jiāolǜ hé kǒngjù, ràng tā yīrì dōu guò bù xiàqù, tā kāishǐ huáiyí zìjǐ shìfǒu zuò chū le cuòwù de xuǎnzé, cháng'ān zhège mèngxiǎng zhōng de dūchéng, xiànzài què xiàng yīgè jùdà de láolóng, jiāng tā kùn zài qízhōng, ràng tā bùkě zhōng rì.

During the Warring States period, a scholar named Li Bai, full of ambition, traveled a long distance to the capital city of Chang'an, seeking a career in government service. However, behind the prosperity of Chang'an lurked deep treachery and intrigue. Li Bai, a newcomer to the city, was alone and unfamiliar, and he encountered obstacles everywhere. His inn was humble, his life poor, and what worried him even more was that his job applications remained unanswered. Every day, Li Bai lived in constant fear that his talent would not be recognized and he would be unable to find a place. At night, he could not sleep, and during the day he was restless. He felt like a small boat on a stormy sea, at any moment liable to be swallowed by the waves. This indescribable anxiety and fear made it impossible for him to endure a single day. He began to doubt whether he had made the right choice. Chang'an, the city of his dreams, was now like a giant cage, trapping him and making his life unbearable.

Usage

主要用来形容人内心极度不安、恐惧的状态，一天也过不下去。

zhǔyào yòng lái xiāo róng rén nèixīn jí dù bù'ān, kǒngjù de zhuàngtài, yītiān yě guò bù xiàqù

Mainly used to describe a state of extreme inner restlessness and fear, unable to endure even a single day.

Examples

• 他自从妻子去世后，就一直不可终日，茶饭不思。

  tā zìcóng qīzi qùshì hòu, jiù yīzhí bùkě zhōng rì, cháfàn bù sī

  Since his wife passed away, he has been very restless, unable to eat or sleep.

• 听到这个坏消息，他心里七上八下，简直不可终日。

  tīng dào zhège huài xiāoxi, tā xīnli qī shàng bā xià, jiǎnzhí bùkě zhōng rì

  Upon hearing the bad news, he was extremely anxious and restless.

• 面临巨大的经济压力，他日夜难眠，不可终日

  miànlín júdà de jīngjì yālì, tā rìyè nánmián, bùkě zhōng rì

  Faced with enormous economic pressure, he was sleepless and restless day and night.

Related Idioms

• 寝食难安

• 坐立不安

Opposite Idioms

• 安然无恙

• 泰然自若