Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Difficult to breathe; experiencing shortness of breath: Describes a physical state where breathing is labored or uncomfortable.
   • Oppressive; suffocating: Describes an atmosphere, situation, or environment that feels heavy, stifling, and unbearable, as if it restricts one's freedom or comfort.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Sau khi chạy, tôi cảm thấy khó thở. (After running, I felt short of breath.)
  • Trời sắp bão, không khí khó thở. (A storm is brewing, so it is oppressive.)
  • Cuộc sống dưới chế độ cũ thật là khó thở. (Life was very oppressive under the old regime.)

Advanced Usage

• Used to describe psychological or social pressure:
  • Áp lực công việc khiến anh ấy có cảm giác khó thở. (Work pressure gives him a feeling of suffocation/oppression.)
• Used in medical contexts:
  • Bệnh nhân nhập viện với triệu chứng khó thở. (The patient was hospitalized with symptoms of dyspnea.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chứng khó thở (n): Dyspnea (the medical term for shortness of breath).
  • Bác sĩ chẩn đoán cô ấy bị chứng khó thở. (The doctor diagnosed her with dyspnea.)
• Ngột ngạt (adj): Stuffy, stifling, suffocating. A close synonym for the figurative sense of "khó thở".
  • Căn phòng ngột ngạt và khó thở. (The room is stuffy and suffocating.)

Synonyms

• Nghẹt thở: To be choked, to suffocate (can be used both literally and figuratively).
• Tức ngực: Chest tightness (often describes a physical sensation related to breathing difficulty).
• Bức bối: Feeling pent-up, restless, and uncomfortable (often used for psychological oppression).

Related Phrases

• Cảm thấy khó thở: To feel short of breath / to feel oppressed.
  • Trong đám đông, tôi cảm thấy khó thở. (In the crowd, I feel short of breath/oppressed.)
• Bầu không khí khó thở: An oppressive atmosphere.
  • Sau cuộc tranh cãi, bầu không khí trong phòng trở nên khó thở. (After the argument, the atmosphere in the room became oppressive.)

Related Idioms

• Như ngồi trên đống lửa: Literally "like sitting on a pile of fire"; means being extremely anxious and restless, which can create a feeling similar to "khó thở".
  • Chờ kết quả, anh ấy lo lắng như ngồi trên đống lửa. (Waiting for the results, he was as anxious as sitting on a pile of fire.)
• Nghẹn lời: To be choked with emotion (unable to speak), sharing the sense of constriction with "khó thở".
  • Nghe tin buồn, cô ấy nghẹn lời. (Hearing the sad news, she was choked up/ speechless.)

1. Oppressive
   • Trời sắp bão, không khí khó thở
     A storm is brewing, so it is oppressive
   • Cuộc sống dưới chế độ cũ thật là khó thở
     Life was very oppressive under the old regime