xót ruột
Definition
- Adjective (Idiomatic):
- To feel a pang of distress or heartache: To experience a sharp, emotional pain, typically due to sympathy, pity, or concern for someone else's suffering or misfortune.
- To feel a sting of regret (especially financial): To experience a painful sense of regret, most commonly over money that has been spent, lost, or wasted.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Nhìn cảnh người dân mất nhà sau bão, tôi thấy xót ruột. (Looking at the scene of people losing their homes after the storm, I felt a pang of distress.)
- Tiêu hết số tiền đó cho một món đồ không cần thiết, anh ấy xót ruột lắm. (After spending all that money on an unnecessary item, he felt a real sting of regret.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is often used to describe a visceral, almost physical feeling of emotional pain located in the gut, emphasizing depth of feeling.
- It can describe empathetic pain for others or self-directed regret, with context determining the specific meaning.
Variants and Related Words
- Xót xa (adj): To be sorrowful, grievous, or pained. Often used interchangeably with for emotional pain, but less specifically tied to financial regret.
- Câu chuyện của cô ấy khiến ai nghe cũng xót xa. (Her story made everyone who heard it feel sorrowful.)
Synonyms
- Heartache: Severe emotional distress or anguish.
- Regret: A feeling of sadness or disappointment over something that has happened or been done.
- Pity: The feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering of others.
Related Idioms
Xót của: To regret the loss of possessions or money (more focused on the object lost than the internal feeling).
- Làm vỡ bình cổ, ông chủ không chỉ tiếc của mà còn xót ruột. (Breaking the antique vase, the owner not only regretted the loss but felt a deep sting.)
Đau lòng: To be heartbroken or pained. Similar to xót ruột but can imply a deeper, more lasting sorrow.
- Cảnh chia ly thật đau lòng. (The scene of separation was truly heart-wrenching.)