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“热锅上的蚂蚁”用来形容人们心里烦躁、焦急，坐立不安的样子，指的是restless，unable to remain still（焦躁不安，静不下来）。英文中也有一个古老的俗语用来形容这种紧张不安：好像热砖上的猫（like a cat on hot bricks）。Hot bricks指的是“热砖”，想想看，猫爬在热砖上当然不能静下来了。
例句：
她考驾驶执照前十分紧张不安。
She was like a cat on hot bricks before her driving test.
帕特急如热锅上的蚂蚁，因为贝蒂抢走了她男朋友的照片给同学传看。
Pat was like a cat on hot bricks, for Betty had snatched her boyfriend’s photo to pass it around the classroom.