愁眉苦脸 chóuméi-kǔliǎn to look anxious (idiom)
to look anxious (idiom); to look miserable
How to remember 愁眉苦脸: 愁 anxious + 眉 eyebrows + 苦 bitter + 脸 face = to look anxious (idiom).
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How it is used
- Vivid idiom picturing a worried, miserable expression - knitted brows (愁眉) and a bitter face (苦脸): 他整天愁眉苦脸的 (tā zhěngtiān chóuméi-kǔliǎn de) he looks glum and worried all day.
- Describes visible outward misery on the face, not the inner cause; often used adjectivally with 的 or as a predicate.
- Opposite feel: 眉开眼笑 (méikāi-yǎnxiào, beaming with joy) - 乐得眉开眼笑 (lè de méikāi-yǎnxiào) beaming with delight.