冷や汗
also: れいかん
Meanings
1
cold sweat
Refers to sweat caused by fear, nervousness, or illness, not physical cold. Often used in phrases like 冷や汗をかく (to break out in a cold sweat).
I broke out in a cold sweat during the exam.
He apologized while breaking into a cold sweat.
Usage patterns
- 〈人〉が冷や汗をかくfor someone to break out in a cold sweat
I broke out in a cold sweat when I couldn't answer at the interview.
- 冷や汗が出るfor a cold sweat to come out (involuntarily)
Seeing the dangerous scene, I broke into a cold sweat without meaning to.
- 〈人〉に冷や汗をかかせるto make someone break into a cold sweat
The boss's sharp question made his subordinate break into a cold sweat.
- 〈事〉で冷や汗をかくto break into a cold sweat over something
I broke into a cold sweat over losing an important document.