愁眉苦脸

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: chóu méi kǔ liǎn
• English Translation: To wear a distressed expression (looking miserable)
• Idiom Composition: 「愁」（To worry or feel anxious）＋「眉」（Eyebrows (referring to knitting them in a frown)）＋「苦」（Bitter or painful; describing a sour facial expression）＋「脸」（Face）
• Meaning: To knit one's brows and wear a bitter facial expression. It describes a person who looks worried, dejected, or unhappy because of some trouble or distress.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「愁眉苦脸」 contains the following nuances:

• Visual Imagery: The phrase combines 愁眉 (chóu méi), meaning 'worried brows,' and 苦脸 (kǔ liǎn), meaning 'bitter face.' Together, they create a concrete image of someone whose internal suffering or dissatisfaction is clearly written all over their face.
• Emotional Nuance: Rather than representing profound, tragic despair, this idiom often suggests a state of being 'bummed out' or 'unhappy.' It is versatile enough to be used for a child who doesn't want to eat vegetables or an adult stressed about bills.

3. Usage

「愁眉苦脸」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Daily Annoyances: Used to describe the face someone makes when facing unwanted tasks, minor setbacks, or unpleasant news.
  • Example:「一听到要加班，同事们个个愁眉苦脸。」
    （As soon as they heard they had to work overtime, the colleagues all looked miserable.）
• Worry and Anxiety: Used when someone is preoccupied with a problem and cannot hide their distress.
  • Example:「别总是愁眉苦脸的，问题总会有解决办法的。」
    （Don't look so distressed all the time; there is always a solution to the problem.）

Additional Examples:

1. 看着那一堆没洗的衣服，他不禁愁眉苦脸。
   （Looking at that pile of unwashed clothes, he couldn't help but wear a long face.）
2. 这几天他一直愁眉苦脸，好像有什么心事。
   （He has been looking quite dejected these past few days, as if he has something on his mind.）
3. 面对复杂的数学题，小明愁眉苦脸地咬着笔头。
   （Facing the complex math problem, Xiao Ming bit the end of his pen with a worried frown.）
4. 老板今天愁眉苦脸的，大家都不敢大声说话。
   （The boss looks so grumpy today that no one dares to speak loudly.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• This is an extremely common and colloquial expression used in both literature and daily conversation.
• The term is believed to have evolved from phrases like 愁眉泪脸 (chóu méi lèi liǎn), meaning 'worried brows and tearful face,' found in the Yuan Dynasty drama Romance of the Western Chamber (西厢记).
• While the character 苦 (kǔ) means 'bitter' or 'hardship,' in this context, it specifically refers to the physical 'sour' or 'bitter' look one makes when unhappy.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 愁眉不展 (chóu méi bù zhǎn): Literally 'worried brows not unfolding'; describes someone who remains constantly worried and cannot cheer up.
  • 垂头丧气 (chuí tóu sàng qì): To hang one's head in spiritless despondency; emphasizes a loss of morale or disappointment.link
  • 无精打采 (wú jīng dǎ cǎi): To be listless or in low spirits.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 眉开眼笑 (méi kāi yǎn xiào): Literally 'brows open and eyes laughing'; to look very happy and cheerful.link
  • 喜笑颜开 (xǐ xiào yán kāi): One's face lighting up with joy; to beam with smiles.
  • 兴高采烈 (xìng gāo cǎi liè): To be in high spirits and joyful.link

6. Summary

The idiom 愁眉苦脸 (chóu méi kǔ liǎn) is a vivid description of a person's face when they are troubled. It combines the image of 'worried eyebrows' and a 'bitter face' to show that someone is visibly upset. While it can describe serious anxiety, it is also frequently used for everyday annoyances, such as a student facing a difficult exam or someone reluctant to do chores.