愁眉不展

chóuméi-bùzhǎn

idiom #31,494

Meanings

HSK 2

他最近愁眉不展，是不是工作上出了什么问题？

Tā zuìjìn chóuméi-bùzhǎn, shìbùshì gōngzuò shàng chū le shénme wèntí?

He's been frowning a lot lately - is something wrong at work?

HSK 2

看到妈妈愁眉不展，孩子也变得安静了。

Kàndào māma chóuméi-bùzhǎn, háizi yě biàn de ānjìng le.

Seeing mum looking so worried, the child grew quiet too.

HSK 3

考试结果出来后，他愁眉不展地走出教室。

Kǎoshì jiéguǒ chūlái hòu, tā chóuméi-bùzhǎn de zǒu chū jiàoshì.

After the exam results came out, he walked out of the classroom looking miserable.

memory

愁眉 = worried brows; 不展 = won't unfurl. Picture eyebrows knotted up and refusing to relax.

history

From a Tang-dynasty poem by 姚鹄: 旧隐每杯空竟夕，愁眉不展几经春 (literally years pass with brows still furrowed).

愁 chóu

眉 méi

不 bù

展 zhǎn