Definition

Verb: - To frown; to knit one's brows: To contract the muscles of the forehead and bring the eyebrows together, typically expressing worry, displeasure, anger, or deep thought.

Usage

• The verb cau mày describes a specific facial expression. It is used to indicate a person's negative or intense internal state, such as anger, irritation, deep concentration, or worry.
• It is often used in descriptive narratives.
• Grammar Note: It functions as an intransitive verb (e.g., - he frowns). It can be followed by phrases indicating reason (e.g., - to frown because of anger).

Usage Examples

• Cô ấy cau mày khi nghe tin đó. (She frowned when she heard that news.)
• Đọc đến đoạn khó hiểu, nó cau mày lại suy nghĩ. (When reading the confusing part, he knitted his brows in thought.)
• Đừng cau mày như thế, mọi chuyện rồi sẽ ổn thôi. (Don't frown like that; everything will be fine.)

Advanced Usage

• Cau mày nhíu trán: A common, more descriptive phrase combining "cau mày" (knit brows) and "nhíu trán" (furrow forehead), emphasizing a deeply troubled or thoughtful expression.
  • Nghe xong báo cáo, giám đốc cau mày nhíu trán. (After listening to the report, the director frowned and furrowed his brow.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhíu mày (verb): To slightly knit one's brows. Often interchangeable with "cau mày," but "nhíu mày" can sometimes imply a milder or more thoughtful expression, while "cau mày" often suggests clearer displeasure or anger.
• Cau có (adjective): Grumpy, sullen, ill-tempered. Describes a general irritable mood, not just a momentary facial expression.

Synonyms

• Nhăn mặt (verb): To make a face, often showing distaste or pain. While it involves the whole face, "cau mày" focuses specifically on the brow area.
• Khó chịu (adjective/feeling): To feel uncomfortable, annoyed. This describes the internal feeling, whereas "cau mày" describes the external expression of that feeling.

Related Idioms

• Mặt cau có mày chau: (Literally: face sullen, brows knit) An idiom describing a very grumpy, scowling facial expression, emphasizing visible irritation.
  • Sáng nay gặp anh ta mặt cau có mày chau, chắc là có chuyện không vui. (Meeting him this morning with a scowling face, surely something unpleasant happened.)

verb

1. to frown; to gather one's eyebrows