‘胁息’ is a literary, somewhat formal verb meaning to hold one’s breath—typically out of fear, tension, awe, or intense concentration. The character 胁 (xié) literally means 'rib' or 'side of the body', and historically evokes constriction or pressure on the chest; 息 (xī) means 'breath' or 'to breathe'. Together, they vividly suggest breath being suppressed or squeezed by inner or outer pressure—not just pausing breathing, but doing so involuntarily due to strong emotion.

This term appears frequently in classical poetry and descriptive prose, especially when portraying suspense, reverence before majesty, or visceral fear. It is rarely used in casual speech and carries poetic gravity. While modern Mandarin often uses simpler phrases like 屏住呼吸 (bǐng zhù hūxī) for 'hold one’s breath', 胁息 adds emotional weight and stylistic refinement, often implying physical tension accompanying psychological intensity.