愁容 (chóu róng) — anxious expression; worried look

Definition

A literary/formal noun for a worried, sorrowful look on someone's face. Often paired with 面带 or 带着 (wearing, on the face).

noun
anxious expressionworried look

Examples

  • 愁容。
    Tā liǎn shàng dài zhe chóu róng.
    He has an anxious expression on his face.
  • 愁容，。
    Kàn dào tā de chóu róng, wǒ zhī dào tā yǒu xīn shì.
    Seeing her worried look, I knew she had something on her mind.
  • 愁容，。
    Tā miàn dài chóu róng, dà jiā dōu hěn dān xīn.
    He has an anxious expression, and everyone is very worried.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

愁chóuworry
容rónglook

“愁” (worry) and “容” (look) form an anxious expression.

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
秋
秋qiū愁chóu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

愁 combines 秋, which gives the sound, with 心, the heart.

Open 愁 →

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
公
公gōng容róng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 容, the 宀 (roof) part points to holding or containing, and 公 gives the sound.

Open 容 →

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