Definition

Adjective: 1. Sad, sorrowful, melancholy: A state of deep, pensive sadness or unhappiness, often with a lingering, reflective quality. It describes a profound emotional state beyond mere temporary unhappiness. 2. Afflicted, grieved: Feeling or showing deep distress, typically due to loss, disappointment, or misfortune.

Usage

• âu sầu is a literary and somewhat formal adjective used to describe a profound, often visible state of sadness. It is stronger and more poetic than the common word buồn (sad).
• It is typically used to describe a person's appearance, demeanor, tone of voice, or atmosphere.
• Common structures:
  • Có vẻ âu sầu: to look sorrowful.
  • Nét mặt âu sầu: a sorrowful face/expression.
  • Giọng nói âu sầu: a sorrowful voice/tone.
  • Tâm trạng âu sầu: a sorrowful mood/state of mind.

Examples

• (Why is she looking so sad/sorrowful?)
• (After the bad news, his face was always sorrowful.)
• (That piece of music sounds truly melancholic.)
• (An atmosphere of sorrow enveloped the room.)

Advanced Usage

• âu sầu can be used in a slightly metaphorical sense to describe things that evoke a feeling of deep sadness, such as music, poetry, a landscape, or an atmosphere.
• It is a common word in Vietnamese poetry and literature to convey deep emotional states.

Variants and Related Words

• Sầu (n/adj): Sorrow, grief; sad. Often used in compound words and poetry (e.g., sầu muộn - grief and worry, buồn sầu - sad and sorrowful). Âu sầu intensifies the meaning of sầu.
• U sầu (adj): Gloomy, melancholic, depressed. Very similar in meaning and usage to âu sầu, with a possibly slightly darker connotation.

Synonyms

• Buồn bã: Sad, sorrowful.
• Sầu não: Grief-stricken, deeply sorrowful (stronger).
• U buồn: Melancholy, gloomy.
• Thảm sầu: Miserable and sorrowful (very strong).

Antonyms

• Vui vẻ: Happy, cheerful.
• Hân hoan: Joyful, delighted.
• Phấn khởi: Excited, enthusiastic.

adj

1. Sad, melancholy
   • tại sao cô ta có vẻ âu sầu vậy?
     why is she looking so sad?