bed of nails; bed of thorns; very uncomfortable situation
Idiomatic expression describing a situation where one feels extremely uncomfortable, anxious, or unwelcome, as if sitting on a bed of nails. Often used metaphorically for social or psychological discomfort.
I feel like I'm sitting on a bed of nails in front of him.
During the meeting, I felt like I was on a bed of thorns.
Full kanji spelling using 筵; less common and may be unfamiliar to some readers.
Katakana spelling of むしろ; sometimes used for emphasis or stylistic effect.
Literally 'a straw mat of needles'. The phrase is a direct metaphor for an extremely uncomfortable situation, akin to the English 'bed of nails' or 'bed of thorns'. The origin is uncertain, but it likely arose from the vivid image of sitting on needles.