Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Losing self-control, being upset, being extremely worried: "rối ruột" describes a state of mental agitation, anxiety, or distress that disrupts one's composure and normal thinking, often due to a troubling situation or worry.
   • Being preoccupied, deeply concerned: It indicates being full of worries or deeply troubled by a specific matter.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Bố mẹ rối ruột vì con ốm. (The parents were upset/worried sick because their child was ill.)
  • Chị ta đang rối ruột vì đứa con lạc. (She is extremely worried because her child is lost.)
  • Tin đồn đó khiến cả phòng ban rối ruột. (That rumor caused the whole department to be agitated/upset.)

Advanced Usage

• "rối ruột rối gan": An intensified idiom meaning to be extremely anxious, worried, or flustered, emphasizing deep internal turmoil.
  • Chờ kết quả xét nghiệm, cô ấy rối ruột rối gan. (Waiting for the test results, she was worried sick/anxious beyond measure.)

Variants and Related Words

• Rối trí (adj): Confused, flustered, unable to think clearly. Often used interchangeably with "rối ruột" to describe a loss of calm and clear thinking.
  • Sự cố bất ngờ làm mọi người rối trí. (The sudden incident made everyone flustered.)
• Rối bời (adj): In a tangled mess, chaotic (can refer to physical things or a state of mind). It implies a more general state of disorder.
  • Sợi dây rối bời. (The string is in a tangled mess.)
  • Tâm trí rối bời. (A confused/troubled state of mind.)

Synonyms

• Lo lắng: To worry, to be anxious (a more general term for worry).
• Bồn chồn: Restless, fidgety, anxious (focuses on the physical manifestation of anxiety).
• Sốt ruột: Impatient, antsy (often due to waiting, but can imply worry).

Related Idioms

• Như ngồi trên đống lửa: Literally "like sitting on a pile of fire," meaning to be extremely anxious or restless, similar to the feeling of "rối ruột."
  • Chờ tin con, bà ấy như ngồi trên đống lửa. (Waiting for news of her child, she was like sitting on a pile of fire / was extremely anxious.)

1. Lose self-control, be upset
   • Bố mẹ rối ruột vì con ốm
     The parents were upset by the illness of their child