忧虑 (yōu lǜ) — to worry about, to be anxious about | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A fairly written, slightly more formal word for 'worry / be anxious about', stronger and more literary than the everyday 担心 or 愁. Often used for sustained, deeper concern rather than a passing worry.

verb

to worry aboutto be anxious about

Examples

忧虑。
Tā měi tiān dōu zài yōu lǜ hái zi de ān quán.
She worries about her child's safety every day.
忧虑。
Nǐ bù xū yào wèi zhè jiàn shì ér yōu lǜ.
You don't need to worry about this matter.
忧虑。
Tā yōu lǜ zì jǐ de wèi lái gōng zuò.
He worries about his future job.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

虑lǜanxious thought

忧 and 虑 both refer to worry and anxious thought, so together they mean to worry.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

尤

尤yóu忧yōu

Same sound today

The heart part 心 marks a feeling, and 尤 gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 慮; 虑 is its simplified writing.

思虍慮

Meaning part形符xíngfú

思思sīto think

Sound part声符shēngfú

虍

虍hū慮lǜ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 慮 puts 思 (think) with 虍, which gives the sound; the simplified 虑 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Emotions & Feelings

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