thở than
Definition
- Verb:
- To lament / to sigh with sorrow: To express grief, regret, or unhappiness, often with audible sighs or spoken complaints. It conveys a sense of deep, weary sadness or discontent.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Cô ấy ngồi một mình thở than về số phận. (She sat alone, lamenting her fate.)
- Ông lão thở than vì cơn đau lưng hành hạ. (The old man sighed with sorrow because his back pain was tormenting him.)
- Đừng chỉ ngồi đó thở than, hãy hành động đi. (Don't just sit there lamenting; take action.)
Advanced Usage
- The verb often implies a passive or repetitive expression of sorrow, more focused on vocalizing distress than on seeking an active solution.
Variants and Related Words
- Than thở (v): This is the more common, standard form with the same meaning as "thở than." The words are a reversible pair.
- Anh ấy than thở về công việc quá nhiều. (He complained about having too much work.)
Synonyms
- Lament: To express passionate grief.
- Bemoan: To express discontent or sorrow over something.
- Sigh: To emit a long, deep breath expressing sadness, relief, or tiredness.
- Complain: To express dissatisfaction or annoyance.
Related Idioms
- Thở ngắn than dài: (To sigh short and lament long) To be constantly sighing and lamenting; to be in a state of deep and persistent sorrow.
- Sau biến cố, bà cứ thở ngắn than dài cả ngày. (After the incident, she spent all day sighing and lamenting.)