烦恼
worried; troubled; worries
fánnǎo
What does 烦恼 mean?
烦恼 (fánnǎo) describes the state of being worried, vexed, or mentally troubled, and also serves as a noun for 'worries / troubles / cares.' As an adjective: 他很烦恼 (he's really troubled). As a noun: 生活中的烦恼 (life's troubles), 没有烦恼 (free of worries). It is neutral and common.
Two differences from English 'worry': first, 烦恼 blends worry with annoyance and low-level distress — it's the churning feeling of being bothered by something you can't resolve, closer to 'vexed' than to anxious fear. Second, unlike English where 'worry' is mainly a verb, 烦恼 is most naturally an adjective/noun; to say 'worry about,' Chinese often uses 担心 (dānxīn) instead. In Buddhist usage 烦恼 also means 'the afflictions / defilements' of the mind, a nuance that colors the word with a sense of unavoidable human vexation.
Character breakdown
annoyed; vexed; bothered
irritated; upset; distressed
Memory hook: 烦 (vexed) + 恼 (upset) = a stewing, bothered mind → worries and troubles.
Example sentences
有什么烦恼可以跟我说。
Yǒu shénme fánnǎo kěyǐ gēn wǒ shuō.
If you have any worries, you can tell me.
spoken
这件事让他很烦恼。
Zhè jiàn shì ràng tā hěn fánnǎo.
This matter is really troubling him.
neutral
别自寻烦恼，事情没那么糟。
Bié zì xún fánnǎo, shìqing méi nàme zāo.
Don't worry yourself needlessly, it's not that bad.
spoken
孩子的世界里几乎没有烦恼。
Háizi de shìjiè lǐ jīhū méiyǒu fánnǎo.
In a child's world there are almost no worries.
written
Common phrases with 烦恼
Synonyms
苦恼 is more painful — 'distressed / anguished,' a deeper, bitter suffering. 烦恼 is lighter, the everyday churn of being bothered and vexed. Use 苦恼 for real anguish, 烦恼 for ordinary cares.
Don't confuse 烦恼 with
麻烦 means 'trouble / troublesome / to bother someone' — an external hassle or inconvenience. 烦恼 is an internal emotional state of being vexed. A 麻烦 (hassle) can cause 烦恼 (mental distress).
烦 alone means 'annoyed / fed up' (真烦! = so annoying!), a sharper momentary irritation. 烦恼 is the fuller, more brooding state of being troubled by cares.
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