Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Having folds or lines on a surface: Describes something that is not smooth, having small lines or folds, often due to being squeezed, aged, or not ironed.
   • Having a furrowed or frowning expression: Describes a facial expression showing displeasure, worry, or deep thought, characterized by contracted brows or a wrinkled forehead.

2. Verb:

   • To cause to wrinkle; to furrow: The action of contracting muscles, especially on the face, to create lines or folds, or the action of crumpling a material.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Chiếc áo này bị nhăn rồi, cần phải ủi lại. (This shirt is wrinkled; it needs to be ironed.)
  • Bà tôi có làn da nhăn nheo vì tuổi tác. (My grandmother has wrinkled skin due to age.)
  • Cậu bé có vẻ lo lắng với vầng trán nhăn lại. (The boy looked worried with a furrowed brow.)

• Verb:

  • Đừng nhăn mặt như vậy, có chuyện gì thế? (Don't frown like that; what's the matter?)
  • Cô ấy nhăn trán khi cố gắng giải bài toán khó. (She furrowed her brow while trying to solve the difficult math problem.)

Advanced Usage

• "nhăn nhó": To grimace; to show discomfort or pain through facial expressions.

  • Đứa trẻ nhăn nhó vì vị thuốc đắng. (The child grimaced because of the bitter medicine.)

• "nhăn như khỉ ăn ớt" (idiomatic simile): To have an extremely wrinkled or contorted face (like a monkey eating chili), often used humorously to describe a strong grimace or a very wrinkled surface/face.

  • Sau khi nghe tin đó, mặt anh ta nhăn như khỉ ăn ớt. (After hearing that news, his face contorted dramatically.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhăn nheo (adj): Very wrinkled, full of wrinkles. Emphasizes a state of having many small folds or lines.

  • Tờ giấy cũ nhăn nheo. (The old paper is all crumpled.)

• Nhăn nhở (adj, often derogatory): Describes a broad, often silly or insincere grin.

  • Nó cười nhăn nhở mà không biết ngượng. (He gave a silly, broad grin without feeling ashamed.)

• Cau nhăn (verb phrase): To frown or scowl deeply.

  • Anh ấy cau nhăn khi bị làm phiền. (He scowled when he was disturbed.)

Synonyms

• Nhúm (v): To pucker, to gather into small folds (often for lips).
• Cau (v): To knit, to contract (especially brows).
• Nhàu (adj/v): Crumpled, creased (often for paper or fabric).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Nhăn mặt: To make a face; to show dislike or disgust through facial expression.

  • Cô ấy nhăn mặt khi nếm món ăn lạ. (She made a face when tasting the strange food.)

• Nhăn mày: To frown; to knit one's eyebrows (often showing thought or disapproval).

  • Nghe xong câu chuyện, anh chỉ nhăn mày không nói. (After listening to the story, he just frowned without speaking.)

Related Idioms

• Mặt nhăn như bị (idiom): To have a sullen, displeased, or grumpy face.

  • Sáng nay ông chủ vào văn phòng với mặt nhăn như bị. (This morning the boss entered the office with a face like thunder.)

• Sống nhăn (idiom, from card games): Literally "wrinkled spine," meaning to be in a very difficult or losing position.

  • Đội bóng đó đang sống nhăn ở cuối bảng xếp hạng. (That football team is in a very tight spot at the bottom of the rankings.)

adj

1. crumpled; wrinkled; creasy; furrowed
   • trán nhăn và tuổi già
     A forehead furrowed by old age