There's a different word for different types of anxious in Chinese.

And they're not interchangeable.

Here are three ways to say "worried" in Chinese, all with slightly different meanings:

1/ 焦虑 (jiāo lǜ) — anxious, on edge

• Use for: Sustained anxiety. A general state of worry. Increasingly used in wellness and mental health contexts.

• Example: This year, the mood across the tech industry has shifted to real anxiety. 今年变成了"AI来了，好焦虑"。

2/ 忐忑 (tǎn tè) — uneasy, unsettled

• Use for: The nervous anticipation before something uncertain. Waiting for news. Often paired with 不安.

• Example: They were uneasy and afraid they wouldn't receive their severance. 他们因此很忐忑，怕拿不到赔偿。

3/ 担忧 (dān yōu) — worried, concerned

• Use for: A specific, rational concern about something that might go wrong. Slightly more formal than 焦虑.

• Example: There are genuine concerns about where AI will leave the workforce. 人们对AI会如何影响就业市场感到担忧。

Key difference: 焦虑 is a mental state. 忐忑 is that nervous flutter before something uncertain. 担忧 is a specific worry about a specific thing.