Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Sad; sorrowful; melancholy: Describes a deep, profound, or poignant state of sadness, often with a poetic or literary nuance. It conveys a sense of mournful grief or pensive sorrow.
   • Pitiful; lamentable: Can describe a situation or condition that evokes pity or compassionate sadness due to its unfortunate nature.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Câu chuyện sầu bi. (A sorrowful story.)
  • Giai điệu sầu bi. (A melancholy melody.)
  • Tình trạng sầu bi của những người tị nạn. (The pitiful condition of the refugees.)

Advanced Usage

• Literary and poetic tone: "Sầu bi" is used more in literary, poetic, or formal contexts than in everyday conversation to express deep emotional weight.
  • Trong thơ của ông ấy luôn ánh lên một nỗi sầu bi man mác. (His poetry always reflects a vague, profound sorrow.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sầu (adj): Sad, sorrowful, often used in compound words. Less intense than "sầu bi".
  • Sầu muộn: sadness and worry.
• Bi thương (adj): Tragic, sorrowful, emphasizing a grievous or disastrous cause of sadness.
  • Một vụ tai nạn bi thương. (A tragic accident.)

Synonyms

• Melancholy: A deep, long-lasting, and often gentle sadness.
• Sorrowful: Full of or feeling sorrow.
• Mournful: Expressing sorrow, often for a loss.
• Lamentable: Deplorably bad or unsatisfactory; regrettable, pitiable.

Related Idioms

• Sầu bi ai oán: An intensified phrase meaning "full of grievous sorrow and lamentation".
  • Khúc ca sầu bi ai oán. (A song full of grievous lamentation.)

1. Sad
   • Câu chuyện sầu bi
     A sad story