Chinese word

恼火

Pronunciation

Pinyinnǎo huǒ

Meaning

  • adjectiveannoyed

Example

我因为堵车有点儿恼火。wǒ yīn wèi dǔ chē yóu diǎnr náo huǒ

I am a little annoyed because of the traffic jam.

Illustration for 恼火 (annoyed)

More examples

他对这件事感到恼火，但没有发脾气。tā duì zhè jiàn shì gǎn dào náo huǒ dàn méi yǒu fā pí qì

He was annoyed about this matter, but he did not lose his temper.

Core concept

A small burst of heat-like irritation caused by friction or provocation.

Common phrases

  • 对这件事感到恼火duì zhè jiàn shì gǎn dào náo huǒ

    be annoyed about this matter

  • 有点儿恼火yóu diǎnr náo huǒ

    be a little annoyed

Similar words

生气shēng qì: Feeling strong anger or dissatisfaction that shows in one's expression or behavior.
烦躁fán zào: Feeling restless and irritable, making it hard to settle down or concentrate.
不耐烦bú nài fán: Feeling irritated and unable to stay calm when waiting or dealing with delays.

Definition in Chinese

因为不顺心或被惹到而产生的短暂不耐烦或轻微生气的心情。yīn wèi bú shùn xīn huò bèi rě dào ér chǎn shēng de duǎn zàn bú nài fán huò qīng wēi shēng qì de xīn qíng

Word origin

恼火 (nǎohuǒ, "annoyed") combines 恼 (nǎo, "troubled") with 火 (huǒ, "fire"), presenting irritation as an inner heat that flares up.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, 恼火 (nǎohuǒ, "annoyed") often takes a degree word such as 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr, "a little"), which reports irritation without making it sound extreme.

Other meanings

  • angryadjective
  • upsetadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 恼人nǎo rénannoyingadjective
  • 惹恼ré nǎoannoyverb

Word lists with this word