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愁眉苦脸 (chóu méi kǔ liǎn) — to wear a worried or miserable expression; to look anxious or dejected

Definition

A vivid set phrase (成语) meaning 'to wear a long, miserable face' — furrowed brows and a pained look. Implies the person is visibly upset about something; not a one-off frown.

phrase
to wear a worried or miserable expressionto look anxious or dejected

Examples

  • ，愁眉苦脸。
    Tā kǎo shì méi kǎo hǎo, zhěng tiān chóu méi kǔ liǎn de.
    He failed the exam and has been looking miserable all day.
  • 愁眉苦脸，。
    Bié zǒng shì chóu méi kǔ liǎn, shì qing huì hǎo qǐ lái de.
    Don't always wear a worried look; things will get better.
  • 愁眉苦脸。
    Tā chóu méi kǔ liǎn dì kàn zhe bèi dǎ suì de bēi zi.
    He stared at the broken cup with a miserable expression.
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Emotions & FeelingsIdioms & Set Phrases

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