khổ quá
Definition
- Interjection:
- An expression of frustration or annoyance: Used to exclaim about a troublesome, irritating, or difficult situation. It conveys a sense of being fed up or exasperated.
- An expression of hardship or suffering: Used to lament a state of difficulty, misery, or excessive trouble.
Usage Examples
- Interjection:
- Khổ quá! Tôi lại quên chìa khóa ở nhà. (What a pain! I forgot my keys at home again.)
- Khổ quá, trời mưa mà tôi không có ô. (This is terrible, it's raining and I don't have an umbrella.)
- "Khổ quá!" cô ấy than thở khi xem đống bài tập. ("This is too much!" she lamented while looking at the pile of homework.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase can stand alone as an exclamation or be followed by a clause explaining the situation. It is often used at the beginning of a sentence.
- It carries a stronger emotional weight than simply "khổ" (suffering/hard), emphasizing the speaker's immediate and intense feeling of distress or irritation.
Variants and Related Words
Khổ (adj/interjection): Hard, difficult, suffering. A more general term for hardship.
- Cuộc sống của họ rất khổ. (Their life is very hard.)
Khổ thân (interjection): An expression of pity, often for oneself or someone else, meaning "poor thing" or "what a pity."
- Khổ thân tôi quá! (Poor me!)
Khổ sở (adj): Miserable, distressed, in a state of suffering.
- Anh ấy trông rất khổ sở. (He looks very miserable.)
Synonyms
- What a pain!: Expressing annoyance.
- How terrible!: Expressing distress.
- This is too much!: Expressing that a situation is beyond tolerable.
- Good grief!: An exclamation of frustration.
Related Idioms
Khổ như chó: (Suffering like a dog) An idiom describing extreme misery or a very hard life.
- Công việc này vất vả, khổ như chó. (This job is tough, it's pure misery.)
Khổ nạn: (Hardship and disaster) Refers to great tribulation or ordeal.
- Vùng đó đang trải qua khổ nạn của thiên tai. (That area is going through the ordeal of a natural disaster.)