Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Grievous, miserable: Expressing or characterized by deep sorrow, distress, and suffering. It describes a state of profound sadness and hardship, often stemming from difficult circumstances or emotional pain.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Gương mặt anh ấy lộ rõ vẻ sầu khổ. (His face clearly showed a grievous/miserable expression.)
  • Họ phải sống một cuộc đời sầu khổ sau biến cố đó. (They had to live a miserable life after that incident.)
  • Tiếng hát nghe thật sầu khổ. (The singing sounds truly sorrowful and grievous.)

Advanced Usage

• Literary and poetic context: "Sầu khổ" is often used in literary, poetic, or formal contexts to convey deep, lingering sorrow, more intense than everyday sadness.
  • Nỗi sầu khổ của kẻ lưu vong. (The grievous sorrow of an exile.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sầu (adj/n): Sorrow, melancholy. Can be used independently but often implies a deep, poetic sadness.
  • Sầu muộn: Melancholy, gloomy.
• Khổ (adj/n): Suffering, bitter, hardship. Can be used independently to describe physical or mental pain.
  • Khổ sở: Miserable, distressed (often more colloquial).
  • Khổ đau: Pain and suffering.

Synonyms

• Buồn khổ: Sad and suffering.
• Đau khổ: Painful, anguished (often emphasizes the "pain" aspect).
• Thảm thương: Pitiful, lamentable.
• Bi thương: Sorrowful, tragic.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Mang nặng sầu khổ: To be burdened with grief/sorrow.
  • Bà ấy mang nặng sầu khổ sau cái chết của chồng. (She was burdened with grievous sorrow after her husband's death.)
• Sầu khổ dày vò: Sorrow and suffering torment (someone).
  • Nỗi sầu khổ dày vò tâm trí anh ta. (The grievous sorrow tormented his mind.)

adj

1. grievous, miserable