Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Dismal, sorrowful, desolate: Describes a state of profound sadness, grief, or melancholy, often with a sense of bleakness or tragedy. It conveys a deep, poignant sadness that is visible or palpable.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cảnh tượng sau trận bão thật buồn thảm. (The scene after the storm was truly dismal.)
  • Cô ấy có một cuộc đời buồn thảm. (She had a sorrowful life.)
  • Gia đình ngồi trong im lặng buồn thảm. (The family sat in desolate silence.)

Advanced Usage

• "buồn thảm" as a descriptive state: Often used to describe atmospheres, scenes, lives, or expressions that are deeply sad.
  • Bầu không khí trong phòng chờ thật buồn thảm. (The atmosphere in the waiting room was utterly dismal.)

Variants and Related Words

• Buồn (adj): Sad, unhappy. (A more general and common term for sadness.)
• Thảm (adj): Tragic, pitiful. (Often used in compounds like (pathetic), (tragedy).)
  • Buồn thảm combines the depth of buồn with the tragic quality of thảm.

Synonyms

• Thê lương (adj): Dreary, desolate (often for scenes or sounds).
• Sầu thảm (adj): Melancholy, grievous (similar in meaning and usage).
• Đau buồn (adj): Grieving, sorrowful.

Related Idioms

• Buồn như cha chết: (Idiom: As sad as if one's father died) – Used to describe extreme sadness, but is much stronger and more colloquial than .
• Nỗi buồn thảm: A sorrowful sadness (a common noun phrase).
  • Anh ấy không thể che giấu nỗi buồn thảm. (He could not hide his sorrowful sadness.)

adj

1. Dismal