The Chinese idiom 蠢蠢欲动 is formed by the repetition of 蠢, which here conveys a sense of stirring or restlessness, often associated with the movement of insects, to emphasize repeated or agitated motion; this is combined with 欲, meaning "to want" or "about to", and 动, meaning "to move", resulting in a literal interpretation of "stirring and wanting to move", which figuratively describes someone or something eager to take action or on the brink of activity.