耿耿于怀 (gěng gěng yú huái) — to take something to heart; to brood over; to be unable to get something off one's mind
Definition
A chengyu meaning to keep something on one's mind — to brood over a grievance or hurt that won't fade. Implies lingering emotional weight, more intense than simply 'taking it to heart.'
idiom
to take something to heartto brood overto be unable to get something off one's mind
Examples
- 耿耿于怀，。Tā duì nà jiàn shì yì zhí gěng gěng yú huái, guò le hǎo jǐ nián hái fàng bú xià.He's been brooding over that incident for years and still can't let it go.
- 耿耿于怀，。Bié wèi le yì diǎn xiǎo shì gěng gěng yú huái, bù zhí dé.Don't take such a small matter to heart; it's not worth it.
- ，耿耿于怀。Tā suī rán zuǐ shàng shuō méi guān xi, xīn lǐ què gěng gěng yú huái.Although she said it didn't matter, she was still brooding over it inside.
Appears in
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