Chinese word

懊恼

Pronunciation

Pinyinào nǎo

Meaning

  • adjectivefrustrated

Example

听到比赛结果后我感到很懊恼。tīng dào bǐ sài jié guǒ hòu wǒ gǎn dào hěn ào nǎo

I felt very frustrated after hearing the match result.

Illustration for 懊恼 (frustrated)

More examples

没拿到礼物让我有点懊恼。méi ná dào lǐ wù ràng wǒ yóu diǎn ào nǎo

Not getting the gift made me feel a little frustrated.

Core concept

The inward weight of wishing a past outcome had been different and losing heart over it.

Common phrases

  • 对结果感到懊恼duì jié guǒ gǎn dào ào nǎo

    feel frustrated over the result

  • 为失误懊恼wèi shī wù ào nǎo

    feel frustrated over the mistake

  • 很懊恼hěn ào nǎo

    very frustrated

Similar words

后悔hòu huǐ: Feeling sorry about a choice or action made in the past.
烦恼fán nǎo: Being bothered by problems in life or work and unable to feel at ease.
难过nán guò: Feeling deeply sad and down after something painful happens.

Definition in Chinese

对事情的发展或自身的过失感到后悔并由此心烦、闷闷不乐的形容词。duì shì qíng de fā zhǎn huò zì shēn de guò shī gǎn dào hòu huǐ bìng yóu cǐ xīn fán mèn mèn bú lè de xíng róng cí

Word origin

懊恼 (àonǎo, "frustrated") is a meaning-based compound of 懊 (ào, "regretful") + 恼 (nǎo, "troubled"), combining regret with the disturbed state that follows it.

Usage tips

  • English often focuses on the obstacle that blocks progress, whereas this adjective can describe the lingering reaction after an outcome is already known.

Other meanings

  • regretverb
  • feel dejectedverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word