解忧

解憂
jiěyōu
verb #38,173

Meanings

  1. 1 to dispel worry
  2. 2 to relieve sorrow / cares

Examples

HSK 2
Tīngting yīnyuè néng jiěyōu.
Listening to music can take your mind off your troubles.
HSK 7-9
Héyǐ jiěyōu, wéiyǒu Dùkāng.
What dispels sorrow? Only Du Kang (i.e. wine).

Tips

history
Famous from Cao Cao's 《短歌行》: 何以解忧,唯有杜康 - 'What dispels my sorrow? Only Du Kang.' 杜康 was the legendary inventor of wine, so the line uses his name as a metonym for liquor.
culture
Title of Keigo Higashino's 2012 novel 《解忧杂货店》 (English: 'The Miracles of the Namiya General Store'), a bestseller in China - also a 2017 Sino-Japanese film adaptation. The phrase has been pulled into modern self-help branding.

Stroke Order

jiě
yōu