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March 24, 2026
烦恼(煩惱)fánnǎo(fan2nao3)
烦恼 (fán nǎo) refers to a state of worry or distress. It is commonly used to express feelings of anxiety about personal issues, work, or relationships, reflecting a mental burden or emotional turmoil.
Frequency#3915DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing 烦恼 is often seen as a way to seek support from friends and family, highlighting the importance of community in coping with personal issues.
Memory Tip
Think of 烦 (fán) as a 'fan' blowing away your peace, while 恼 (nǎo) sounds like 'gnaw', as if worries are gnawing at your mind. Together, they paint a picture of relentless worries blowing your calm away.
Meanings of 烦恼
fánnǎo(fan2nao3)
1to be worried
2to be distressed
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About 烦恼
烦恼Simplified
煩惱Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#3915Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2
Podcast: 烦恼
Podcast: 烦恼
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AI Study Notes for 烦恼
Quick Contrast
忧虑 (yōulǜ) vs 担忧 (dānyōu) — use 烦恼 for more personal, emotional distress, while 忧虑 and 担忧 can imply a broader or more general concern.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 烦 (fán) as a 'fan' blowing away your peace, while 恼 (nǎo) sounds like 'gnaw', as if worries are gnawing at your mind. Together, they paint a picture of relentless worries blowing your calm away.
Usage Notes
When using 烦恼, it's important to note that it conveys a sense of ongoing distress, rather than just a fleeting worry. Common collocations include '烦恼的事情' (troublesome things) and '减轻烦恼' (reduce worries). Be careful with the tones, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 烦恼 connects to other emotions and mental states, such as 快乐 (kuài lè, happy) and 难过 (nán guò, sad). Students should focus on using it in context to describe personal feelings or situations that cause distress.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing 烦恼 is often seen as a way to seek support from friends and family, highlighting the importance of community in coping with personal issues.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 烦恼 with the word 担心 (dān xīn, to worry) which is more about immediate concerns. For example, saying '我很担心事情' (Wǒ hěn dān xīn shìqíng) is incorrect when discussing ongoing emotional distress; use 烦恼 instead.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 烦恼
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Grammar Patterns of 烦恼
烦恼 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
It bothered me that boys weren't interested in me.
2
很多答案都不准确，为此他感到很烦恼。
hěn duō dá àn dū bù zhǔn què， ， wéi cǐ tā gǎn dào hěn fán。
He was disturbed by the inaccuracy of the answers.
3
我和她互相倾诉烦恼。
wǒ hé tā hù xiāng qīng sù fán nǎo。
She tells me her troubles. I tell her mine.
4
他最近总是失眠，显得很烦恼。
Tā zuìjìn zǒng shì shīmián, xiǎnde hěn fánnǎo.
He has been suffering from insomnia lately and seems very worried.
5
她为孩子的学习成绩感到烦恼。
Tā wèi háizi de xuéxí chéngjì gǎndào fánnǎo.
She is worried about her child's academic performance.
6
面对即将到来的考试，他感到非常烦恼。
Miànduì jíjiāng dàolái de kǎoshì, tā gǎndào fēicháng fánnǎo.
He is very worried about the upcoming exam.
7
她对未来的职业发展感到烦恼。
Tā duì wèilái de zhíyè fāzhǎn gǎndào fánnǎo.
She is worried about her future career development.
8
因为公司的财务问题，他整天都很烦恼。
Yīnwèi gōngsī de cáiwù wèntí, tā zhěngtiān dōu hěn fánnǎo.
He is worried all day because of the company's financial issues.
9
她对如何平衡工作与家庭生活感到烦恼。
Tā duì rúhé pínghéng gōngzuò yǔ jiātíng shēnghuó gǎndào fánnǎo.
She is worried about how to balance work and family life.
ato be distressed1
10
工作上的压力让我感到很烦恼。
Gōngzuò shàng de yālì ràng wǒ gǎndào hěn fánnǎo.
The pressure at work makes me feel very distressed.
Cultural Notes for 烦恼
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, expressing 烦恼 is often seen as a way to seek support from friends and family, highlighting the importance of community in coping with personal issues.
Frequently Asked Questions about 烦恼
You can say '我最近很烦恼' (Wǒ zuìjìn hěn fánnǎo), which means 'I've been very worried lately.'
Not necessarily; it can describe both serious and minor worries, but it generally implies a deeper emotional impact.
Yes, 烦恼 can appear in both informal and formal contexts, especially when discussing emotional states.
