Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Tense, Strained: Describes a state of mental or emotional stress, nervousness, or anxiety. It often refers to a person's mind or nerves being under pressure.
   • Tense, Strained: Describes a situation, atmosphere, or relationship that is characterized by hostility, opposition, or high potential for conflict.
   • Intense, High-pressure: Describes work or an activity that requires extreme concentration and effort, leaving one feeling stretched to their limits.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Đầu óc tôi rất căng thẳng. (My mind is very tense.)
  • Quan hệ giữa hai nước láng giềng đang căng thẳng. (Relations between the two neighboring countries are tense.)
  • Anh ấy làm việc trong một môi trường cực kỳ căng thẳng. (He works in an extremely high-pressure environment.)

Advanced Usage

• "tình hình căng thẳng": a tense situation/state of affairs.

  • Tình hình an ninh trong khu vực ngày càng căng thẳng. (The security situation in the region is becoming increasingly tense.)

• "căng thẳng thần kinh": nervous tension.

  • Cô ấy đang chịu đựng sự căng thẳng thần kinh kéo dài. (She is suffering from prolonged nervous tension.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sự căng thẳng (n): tension, stress.

  • Sự căng thẳng trong phòng họp là rõ ràng. (The tension in the meeting room was palpable.)

• Làm căng thẳng (v): to tense up, to strain (a relationship/situation).

  • Sự kiện đó đã làm căng thẳng mối quan hệ của họ. (That event strained their relationship.)

Synonyms

• Tense: characterized by nervousness or mental strain.
• Strained: showing signs of tension or conflict.
• Stressful: causing mental or emotional pressure.

Related Idioms

• Căng như dây đàn: as taut/tight as a bowstring; describes an extremely tense atmosphere or state of mind.
  • Bầu không khí trước giờ thi căng như dây đàn. (The atmosphere before the exam was as tense as a bowstring.)

1. Fully stretched, fully strained, tense
   • đầu óc căng thẳng
     a tense mind, tense nerves
   • quan hệ căng thẳng
     tense relations, strained relations
   • làm việc căng thẳng
     to be fully stretched, to be under high pressure of work