懊 (ào) - Regretful, remorseful, vexed, annoyed — describes a state

懊Tone 4

ào ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

傲不

懊 · ào

Regretful, remorseful, vexed, annoyed — describes a state of mental distress or frustration over past actions or current circumstances.

Regretful, remorseful, vexed, annoyed — describes a state

Usage highlights

regret and remorseannoyed and vexeddejected and remorsefulregretful sighdeep regretfeel remorse

Synonyms

  • 悔— regret, repent
  • 恼— annoyed, irritated
  • 憾— regret, disappointment

Antonyms

  • 喜— happy, pleased
  • 悦— joyful, delighted
  • 安— peaceful, calm

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He felt deep regret (懊悔) for his mistake.
  • She was annoyed (懊恼) by the constant interruptions.
  • They expressed remorse (懊丧) over the failed project.
  • The decision caused him much vexation (懊惋).

Collocations

  • regret and remorse(懊悔)
  • annoyed and vexed(懊恼)
  • dejected and remorseful(懊丧)
  • regretful sigh(懊叹)
  • deep regret(懊恨)
  • feel remorse(懊惜)

Idioms

  • Regret it too late(懊悔莫及)
  • Extremely annoyed and vexed(懊恼不已)
  • Deeply regretful and self-reproachful(懊悔自责)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese philosophy, excessive regret is seen as counterproductive to mental peace and forward progress.
  • The character reflects the Confucian emphasis on proper conduct and the emotional consequence of moral missteps.
  • Buddhist teachings often address '懊' as a form of attachment to past actions that hinders enlightenment.

FAQ