Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Nervous and excited: Describes a state of anxious excitement or suspense, often causing one's heart to beat faster, typically while waiting for an important or uncertain outcome.
   • Thrilling, suspenseful: Describes something that causes such a feeling of nervous excitement.

2. Verb:

   • To be nervous and excited: To experience a fluttering or pounding heart due to anticipation, anxiety, or excitement.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Tôi cảm thấy rất hồi hộp khi chờ kết quả phỏng vấn. (I felt very nervous and excited while waiting for the interview result.)
  • Đó là một trận đấu hồi hộp đến phút cuối. (It was a thrilling match until the last minute.)

• Verb:

  • Cô ấy hồi hộp chờ tên mình được xướng lên. (She waited nervously and excitedly for her name to be called.)

Advanced Usage

• Used to describe the climactic feeling in stories or situations.
  • Tác giả viết truyện rất hồi hộp, khiến độc giả không thể dừng lại. (The author writes in a very suspenseful way, making readers unable to stop.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hồi hộp chờ đợi: To wait with bated breath.
  • Cả khán phòng hồi hộp chờ đợi người chiến thắng. (The whole auditorium waited with bated breath for the winner.)

Synonyms

• Anxious: Feeling worried or uneasy.
• Excited: Very enthusiastic and eager.
• Suspenseful: Causing excited anticipation or uncertainty about what may happen.

Related Idioms

• Tim đập hồi hộp: Heart pounding with excitement/nervousness.
  • Cô ấy bước lên sân khấu với tim đập hồi hộp. (She stepped onto the stage with her heart pounding.)

verb

1. to flutter; to tremble with excitement