近乡情怯

jìn xiāng qíng qiè

literal meaning: approach village, feel nervous
translated: feeling nervous to return home

This idiom is used to describe the feeling of apprehension associated with returning to a once-familiar place after a long time. It can be used to describe the emotions of someone who has left a place they once called home. If this person did not maintain their relationships and keep up with the local news/gossip, they may feel nervous upon return, wondering how things have changed from what they remember.

This idiom is used to describe the feeling of apprehension associated with returning to a once-familiar place after a long time. It can be used to describe the emotions of someone who has left a place they once called home. If this person did not maintain their relationships and keep up with the local news/gossip, they may feel nervous upon return, wondering how things have changed from what they remember.

近

jìn

approach, near

乡情

xiāngqíng

nostalgia, affection for "home"

乡

xiāng

home, countryside

情

qíng

feeling, affection

怯

qiè

nervous, timid

Examples

买辣椒也用券 - 起风了

Feng Qinyuan - Qi Feng Le

不禁笑这近乡情怯, 仍无可避免

Bùjīn xiào zhè jìnxiāng-qíngqiè, réng wú kě bìmiǎn

(I) can’t help but laugh at this anxiety upon approaching home, yet can’t avoid it either

In this song, the singer describes their emotions as they return home after a long period of time spent wandering. After having traveled to many unfamiliar places, the singer thinks it is silly to feel nervous upon coming back home. At the same time, they cannot help but feel anxious and awkward as they return to the place where they spent their childhood.