Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Drooping or sagging (of facial features): Describes a facial expression that appears downcast, sullen, or elongated due to disappointment, sadness, or displeasure. It often refers to a "long face."
   • Dejected or sullen: Characterizes a gloomy, dispirited, or sulky appearance, particularly in the countenance.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Nghe tin đó, mặt nó xụ ngay xuống. (Hearing that news, his/her face fell immediately.)
  • Đứa bé xụ mặt vì không được mua đồ chơi. (The child pulled a long face because he wasn't bought a toy.)
  • Anh ấy ngồi xụ mặt một mình trong góc. (He sat with a sullen face alone in the corner.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "xụ" is almost exclusively used in the compound "xụ mặt" or similar phrases describing facial expression. It is rarely used alone to modify other nouns.
  • Cô ấy xụ mặt cả ngày hôm nay. (She has had a sullen face all day today.)

Variants and Related Words

• Xụ mặt (adj phrase): to have a long face, to look sullen or dejected.

  • Thua trận, cả đội xụ mặt ra về. (Losing the match, the whole team left with long faces.)

• Xụ xuống (verb phrase): to droop or sag down (often for face or features).

  • Hai vai anh ta xụ xuống vì mệt mỏi. (His shoulders sagged from exhaustion.)

Synonyms

• Sullen: bad-tempered and sulky; gloomy.
• Dejected: sad and depressed; dispirited.
• Downcast: (of eyes) looking downward; (of expression) sad or depressed.
• Morose: sullen and ill-tempered.

Related Idioms

• Mặt xụ như bị (Face as drooping as...): A simile emphasizing a very sad or disappointed facial expression.
  • Nghe tin trượt đại học, mặt nó xụ như bị. (Hearing the news of failing the university exam, his face fell completely.)