Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Impatient, Anxious: Describes a state of restless worry, unease, or agitation, often while waiting for something important or uncertain. It conveys a feeling of internal heat and discomfort, similar to the literal meaning "hot intestines."

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cả gia đình sốt ruột chờ kết quả phẫu thuật. (The whole family waited anxiously for the surgery results.)
  • Chỉ còn mười phút nữa là đến giờ hẹn, anh ta bắt đầu sốt ruột. (With only ten minutes left until the appointment, he began to get impatient.)
  • Nhìn tiến độ chậm chạp, bà chủ rất sốt ruột. (Looking at the slow progress, the boss was very agitated.)

Advanced Usage

• The adjective can be intensified with adverbs like rất (very) or quá (too).
  • Tôi rất sốt ruột vì chưa nhận được thư trả lời. (I am very anxious because I haven't received a reply letter.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sốt sắng (adj): Eager, zealous, enthusiastic. This word has a positive connotation of being keen and ready, unlike the worried connotation of "sốt ruột."
  • Cô ấy làm việc rất sốt sắng. (She works very zealously.)

Synonyms

• Nôn nóng (adj): Impatient, restless.
• Lo lắng (adj): Worried, concerned.
• Bồn chồn (adj): Restless, fidgety.

Related Idioms

• Nóng ruột: This is a very close synonym, also meaning impatient or anxious ("hot intestines"). It is often interchangeable with "sốt ruột."
  • Nghe tin đó, ai cũng nóng ruột. (Hearing that news, everyone became anxious.)

adj

1. impatient, anxious