Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Be on tenterhooks, feel anxious: Describes a persistent, nagging state of worry, anxiety, or preoccupation with a particular thought or concern. It implies a feeling that is deeply felt and constantly pressing on one's mind.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cô ấy đau đáu lo lắng cho tương lai của con. (She is anxiously worried about her child's future.)
  • Anh ấy cứ đau đáu về lời hứa chưa thực hiện được. (He is constantly preoccupied by the promise he hasn't been able to fulfill.)
  • Một nỗi niềm đau đáu khôn nguôi. (A ceaselessly nagging sorrow.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is often used to intensify a state of mental or emotional distress, emphasizing its chronic and consuming nature. It frequently modifies words for feelings like "lo" (worry), "nhớ" (miss/long for), or "thương" (pity/concern).

Variants and Related Words

• Canh cánh (adj): Also means a lingering worry or preoccupation, very similar in meaning and often used interchangeably with "đau đáu."

Synonyms

• Anxious: Feeling or showing worry, nervousness.
• Preoccupied: Engrossed in thought; distracted.
• Nagging: Persistently painful or worrying.

Related Idioms

• Đau đáu trong lòng: To have something weighing heavily on one's heart/mind.
  • Nỗi nhớ quê hương cứ đau đáu trong lòng. (Longing for the homeland weighs heavily on the heart.)

1. Be on tenterhooks, feel anxious