Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Pressing, urgent: Describes a state of feeling intense pressure, stress, or anxiety due to a difficult, unresolved, or unfair situation. It conveys a sense of being overwhelmed and needing immediate attention or relief.
   • Frustrated, aggrieved: Expresses a strong feeling of discontent, grievance, or resentment, often stemming from perceived injustice or unmet needs.

2. Verb (less common, but used in certain contexts):

   • To feel pressed/aggrieved: To experience a state of mental stress or frustration. This verbal usage is derived from the adjective form.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Người dân rất bức xúc về tình trạng ô nhiễm môi trường. (The citizens are very aggrieved/frustrated about the environmental pollution situation.)
  • Đây là một vấn đề bức xúc cần được giải quyết ngay. (This is a pressing/urgent issue that needs to be resolved immediately.)
  • Anh ấy có vẻ rất bức xúc sau cuộc họp. (He seemed very stressed/frustrated after the meeting.)

• Verb:

  • Cô ấy bức xúc vì bị đối xử bất công. (She feels aggrieved because of being treated unfairly.)

Advanced Usage

• "Lòng bức xúc": A feeling of frustration/pent-up emotion.

  • Anh ấy nói ra tất cả lòng bức xúc đã chất chứa bấy lâu. (He voiced all the pent-up frustration he had been holding for so long.)

• "Điểm bức xúc": A pain point, a point of contention or frustration.

  • Tiền lương thấp là điểm bức xúc chính của nhân viên. (Low salary is the main pain point for the employees.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bức bối (adj): Oppressive, stifling, suffocating (often describing a physical or emotional atmosphere). It is a close synonym but can imply a more physically constricting feeling.

  • Thời tiết nóng ẩm thật bức bối. (The hot, humid weather is really oppressive.)

• Ức chế (adj/v): Repressed, suppressed; to inhibit. While related to negative feelings, it focuses more on the state of being held back or suppressed.

  • Cảm thấy bị ức chế trong công việc. (To feel repressed/suppressed at work.)

Synonyms

• Cấp bách (adj): Critical, urgent (focuses more on objective urgency than subjective emotion).
• Khó chịu (adj): Uncomfortable, annoyed (a milder, more general term for discomfort or annoyance).
• Bất bình (adj): Indignant, discontented (emphasizes a sense of injustice).

Related Phrases / Idioms

• "Làm cho ai đó bức xúc": To cause someone frustration/distress.

  • Sự chậm trễ liên tục làm cho khách hàng bức xúc. (The constant delays cause customer frustration.)

• "Bày tỏ sự bức xúc": To express one's frustration/grievance.

  • Người biểu tình bày tỏ sự bức xúc trước tòa thị chính. (The protesters expressed their grievance in front of the city hall.)

1. Pressing