héo ruột
Definition
- Adjective:
- Heartbroken, deeply distressed: Describes an intense state of emotional pain, sorrow, or anxiety that feels as if one's insides are withering.
- Tormented, anguished: Conveys a feeling of being consumed by worry, grief, or despair.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Nghe tin đó, tôi héo ruột. (Hearing that news, I was heartbroken.)
- Chờ đợi kết quả mà không biết gì khiến cô ấy héo ruột. (Waiting for the result without knowing anything made her deeply distressed.)
- Câu chuyện thương tâm ấy khiến ai nghe cũng héo ruột. (That tragic story made anyone who heard it feel anguish.)
Advanced Usage
- "Héo gan héo ruột": An intensified idiom meaning "extremely tormented and anguished," expressing an even deeper level of distress.
- Lo lắng cho đứa con đi lạc, bà mẹ héo gan héo ruột. (Worried about her lost child, the mother was utterly tormented.)
Variants and Related Words
- Héo (adj/verb): To wither, to wilt (used for plants). When used metaphorically for emotions, it contributes to the imagery in "héo ruột."
- Đau lòng (adj): Heartache, painful (to the heart). A synonym with less intense imagery than "héo ruột."
- Xót xa (adj): Bitterly sad, poignant. Describes a feeling of painful regret or compassion.
Synonyms
- Đau khổ: To suffer, to be in pain.
- Thương tâm: Heart-rending, pitiful (often describing a situation that causes this feeling).
- Quặn lòng: To have a wrenching feeling in one's heart (focuses on a sudden, sharp pain).
Related Idioms
- Héo hon: Wilted, haggard (can describe both physical appearance from exhaustion/worry and a state of decline).
- Nát lòng: Heartbroken, with a shattered heart. Similar intensity to "héo ruột."
- Tê tái lòng: A numb, piercing sadness.