Definition

Adjective: * Harassed, extremely anxious, frantic with worry: Describes a state of intense mental distress, agitation, or panic, often caused by urgent problems, danger, or overwhelming pressure. The imagery suggests being so worried it feels like one's "hooves are burning" (sốt = fever/heat; vó = hoof).

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Nghe tin con ốm nặng, bà ấy lo sốt vó. (Hearing her child was seriously ill, she was frantic with worry.)
  • Hạn chót nộp báo cáo là ngày mai, cả nhóm đang làm sốt vó. (The report deadline is tomorrow, the whole team is working in a frantic state.)
  • Anh ấy sốt vó tìm chìa khóa vì sắp trễ chuyến bay. (He was desperately searching for his keys because he was about to miss his flight.)

Advanced Usage

• "lo sốt vó": This is the most common collocation, meaning "to worry oneself sick" or "to be frantic with worry."
  • Mẹ tôi cứ lo sốt vó mỗi khi tôi về khuya. (My mother always worries herself sick whenever I come home late.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sốt ruột (adj): Impatient, restless, antsy. While "sốt vó" implies anxiety from external pressure/danger, "sốt ruột" often implies impatience or internal agitation from waiting.
  • Chờ kết quả lâu quá, tôi sốt ruột rồi. (Waiting for the result for so long, I'm getting antsy.)
• Cuống cuồng (adj/adv): Frenzied, in a panic, helter-skelter. This is a close synonym describing chaotic, hurried action due to panic.
  • Cô ấy chạy cuống cuồng đi tìm con. (She ran around frenziedly looking for her child.)

Synonyms

• Hoảng hốt: Frightened, alarmed.
• Lo lắng thấp thỏm: To be on tenterhooks, to be deeply anxious.
• Điên đầu: Distracted, driven to distraction (by problems).

Related Idioms

• Như ngồi trên đống lửa: (Like sitting on a pile of fire) - To be extremely anxious or restless, similar to "to be on pins and needles" or "to be on tenterhooks."
  • Chờ phỏng vấn, anh ấy cứ như ngồi trên đống lửa. (Waiting for the interview, he was on pins and needles.)

adj

1. harassed