Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Sad, melancholy, grieved: The primary meaning describes a negative emotional state of unhappiness, sorrow, or low spirits, often due to a loss, disappointment, or unfortunate event.
   • Somber, gloomy: Can describe an atmosphere, scene, or appearance that evokes or reflects sadness.

2. Adjective (physical sensation):

   • Ticklish: Describes a physical sensation on the skin that provokes laughter when touched or stimulated.
   • Feeling an urge/itch (to do something): Describes a restless, almost involuntary physical desire or need to perform a specific action.

3. Verb (used before another verb, combination is limited):

   • To feel like, to have an urge to: Used to express a physical need or strong inclination to do something, often related to bodily functions.
   • To bother, to have the will to (used chiefly in negative constructions): Expresses a lack of desire, energy, or willingness to do something.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (emotional):

  • Cô ấy trông rất buồn. (She looks very sad.)
  • Đó là một bộ phim buồn. (That is a sad film.)
  • Tin buồn. (Sad news.)

• Adjective (physical):

  • Lòng bàn chân tôi rất buồn. (The soles of my feet are very ticklish.)
  • Tôi buồn miệng nên hát một bài. (I felt an urge to sing, so I sang a song.)

• Verb:

  • Tôi buồn ngủ. (I feel sleepy. / I have an urge to sleep.)
  • Anh ấy mệt đến mức chẳng buồn trả lời. (He was so tired he couldn't be bothered to reply.)

Advanced Usage

• "buồn buồn": (reduplication) very sad, melancholic.

  • Cô ấy có tâm trạng buồn buồn cả ngày. (She was feeling quite melancholic all day.)

• "buồn như chấu cắn": (idiomatic simile) to be bored to tears, extremely bored.

  • Ngồi nhà một mình, tôi buồn như chấu cắn. (Sitting at home alone, I was bored to tears.)

Variants and Related Words

• Buồn bã (adj): sorrowful, mournful.

  • Gương mặt buồn bã. (A sorrowful face.)

• Buồn rầu (adj): distressed, dejected.

  • Anh ấy buồn rầu vì thất bại. (He was dejected because of the failure.)

• Buồn chán (adj): bored, depressed (can blend sadness and boredom).

  • Công việc lặp đi lặp lại khiến cô ấy buồn chán. (The repetitive work made her bored and depressed.)

Synonyms

• Sad: unhappy, sorrowful.
• Melancholy: a deep, pensive sadness.
• Gloomy: dark or dim, causing depression.
• Ticklish: sensitive to tickling.
• Reluctant: unwilling (for the verbal negative sense).

Related Idioms

• Buồn thiu: extremely sad, despondent.

  • Căn phòng trống vắng khiến tôi buồn thiu. (The empty room made me feel utterly despondent.)

• Buồn chân buồn tay: (lit. itchy feet and hands) feeling fidgety, restless.

  • Nghỉ hè lâu quá, lũ trẻ buồn chân buồn tay muốn đi học lại. (The summer break was too long; the children got fidgety and wanted to go back to school.)

adj

1. Sad, melancholy, grieved
   • tin buồn
     sad news
   • người mẹ buồn vì có đứa con hư
     the mother was sad because a child of hers was bad
   • ngồi buồn, chẳng nói chẳng rằng
     to sit sad and silent
   • Cảnh nào cảnh chẳng đeo sầu Người buồn cảnh có vui đâu bao giờ
     No sight is free of sadness. When one is sad, no sight is cheerful
2. Feeling an itch (for, to)
   • buồn miệng hát ngêu ngao
     his mouth was itching to sing, so he sang a few disconnected phrases
3. Ticklish
   • tính hay buồn nên bị cù không nhịn cười được