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The word 心猿意马 is formed by directly combining two metaphorical constructs: 心猿, which pairs 心 (heart) with 猿 (monkey) to depict a restless heart, and 意马, which pairs 意 (mind) with 马 (horse) to depict a wandering mind. These four characters are joined in sequence to create a fixed idiom that conveys a state of distraction or unsettled thoughts.
Word Definition - 心猿意马
lit. heart like a frisky monkey, mind like a cantering horse (idiom); fig. capricious (derog.); to have ants in one's pants; hyperactive; adventurous and uncontrollable
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