Definition

1. Verb:
   • To repress: To consciously or unconsciously restrain, hold back, or prevent (emotions, feelings, or impulses) from being expressed.
   • To pent up: To confine and accumulate (emotions, energy, or pressure) over time, often leading to a state of high internal tension.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy luôn dồn nén sự tức giận của mình. (He always represses his anger.)
  • Cảm xúc bị dồn nén lâu ngày có thể gây ra căng thẳng. (Emotions pent up for a long time can cause stress.)
  • Áp lực công việc bị dồn nén suốt tuần. (Work pressure was pent up all week.)

Advanced Usage

• Used frequently in psychological and emotional contexts to describe the unhealthy suppression of feelings.
• Can be applied metaphorically to describe the buildup of non-physical forces, such as social pressure or creative energy.

Variants and Related Words

• Kìm nén (v): to suppress, to hold back. Often used interchangeably with "dồn nén" but can imply a more active, moment-to-moment restraint.
  • Cô ấy kìm nén nước mắt. (She held back her tears.)

Synonyms

• Repress: To subdue or keep down by force.
• Suppress: To put an end to by force; to restrain from expression.
• Bottle up: To conceal and retain (feelings) without expression.
• Pent up: Confined and held back, often describing emotions or energy.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Dồn nén cảm xúc: To bottle up emotions.

  • Việc dồn nén cảm xúc không tốt cho sức khỏe tinh thần. (Bottling up emotions is not good for mental health.)

• Sức ép bị dồn nén: Pent-up pressure.

  • Sức ép bị dồn nén cuối cùng cũng được giải tỏa. (The pent-up pressure was finally released.)

1. Repress; pen
   • Tình cảm bị dồn nén
     Repressed feelings; pent-up feelings