Definitions

1. Adjective:
   • Gloomy, melancholy, sorrowful: Describes a state of deep sadness, dejection, or a downcast mood, often reflected in one's appearance or demeanor. It implies a lingering, quiet sadness.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Nét mặt rầu rĩ. (To wear a melancholy face.)
  • Sau tin buồn, cô ấy ngồi im lặng với vẻ rầu rĩ. (After the sad news, she sat silently with a sorrowful look.)
  • Giọng nói của anh ấy nghe thật rầu rĩ. (His voice sounds so gloomy.)

Advanced Usage

• "rầu rĩ than vãn": to complain in a melancholy/plaintive way.
  • Cậu bé rầu rĩ than vãn về bài tập khó. (The boy complained plaintively about the difficult homework.)

Variants and Related Words

• Rầu (adj): sad, sorrowful (a simpler, more common form).
  • Trông anh ta rầu quá. (He looks so sad.)
• Buồn rầu (adj): sad, mournful (a compound adjective).
  • Không khí trong phòng thật buồn rầu. (The atmosphere in the room was mournful.)
• U sầu (adj): melancholic, brooding (literary, implies a deeper, more pensive sadness).

Synonyms

• Buồn bã: sad, sorrowful.
• Âu sầu: sorrowful, distressed (more literary).
• Chán nản: discouraged, disheartened (focuses on loss of spirit).

Related Idioms

• Mặt mày rầu rĩ: To have a gloomy/long face.
  • Sự thất bại khiến mặt mày anh ấy rầu rĩ cả tuần. (The failure made him wear a long face for a whole week.)

1. Gloomy, melancholy
   • Nét mặt rầu rĩ
     To wear a melancholy face