APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 37

Appendix A: Idioms about Human Feelings

I/ Love:

English idioms Meanings Vietnamese idioms

Used to say that when you are
Absence makes the heart grow Giaän thì maéng, laëng thì
away from sb you love, you love
fonder thöông
them more
A person you particularly like
A woman/ man after one’s own Ngöôøi ñaøn oâng / phuï nöõ
because he has the same
heart cuûa loøng toâi
interests as you
Be close / near / dear to sb's Be a person or thing that sb is Say nhö ñieáu ñoå / cheát meâ
heart very fond of cheát meät / meâ tít thoø loø
Come straight from the heart
Truly love sb Töø taän ñaùy loøng
From the bottom of my heart
Have eyes only for sb / Only
Only love sb Ñeå maét tôùi ai ñoù
have eyes for sb
Have got it bad Be very much in love Yeâu caây neân daáu ñeán hoa
Head over heel (in love) Completely in love Yeâu ñieân ñaûo
In your deepest feelings / Töø taän ñaùy loøng / saâu
In one's heart of hearts
thoughts thaúm trong tim
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 38

Yeâu nhau say ñaém / thaàm

Like sb very much in a romantic
Sweet on someone thöông troäm nhôù / yeâu
way
thaàm daáu buïng
A person, usually a child, who sb
The apple of one's eye Cuïc cöng cuûa toâi
love very much
The way to make sb like or love
The way to sb's heart Ñöôøng vaøo con tim
you
Used for emphasizing how
With all your heart Vôùi taát caû taám loøng
strongly you feel about sth

II/ Happy:

English idioms Meanings Vietnamese idioms

A barrel / a bundle of laughs Very amusing, a lot of fun Vui noå trôøi
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 39

As cheerful as the birds Very happy Vui nhö saùo

As eager as a bridegroom
As gay as a lark
As glad as a fly
As happy as a child
As happy as a clam
As happy as a king Vui nhö hoäi
Extremely happy
As happy as Larry Vui nhö teát
As happy as the day is long
As jolly as a shoe brush
As merry as a cricket
As please as Punch

Be generous, cheerful and

Be a good sport pleasant, especially in a Laïc quan yeâu ñôøi
difficult situation
Be a person or thing that you
Be a sight for sore eyes Ñeïp loùa maét
are happy to see
Be all smiles Be very happy and smiling, Nôû gan nôû ruoät
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 40

especially after feeling sad or

worried about sth
Be grateful / thankful for small Be happy that a bad situation is
Nhö cheát ñi soáng laïi
mercies not even worse
Be in / Go into raptures about / Be extremely enthusiastic
over sb / sth about sb/ sth you like
Be in high spirits
In the heat of the moment Be happy and cheerful Ñang cao höùng
To be bitten by the bug
Beam / Grin / Smile from ear to Be smiling a lot because you
Ngoaùc mieäng tôùi mang tai
ear are very pleased about sth
Make you / sb feel extreme
Blow sb's mind Nôû töøng khuùc ruoät
pleasure
Lively and cheerful, pleased
Bright - eyed and bushy tailed Maët maøy töôi roùi
and proud
Make sb feel happy, more
Do sb's heart good
cheerful, hopeful
Feel like a million dollars Feel / look very good Vui nhö traêng raèm
Float / walk on air Very happy Nhö ôû treân maây
In seventh heaven Nhö ôû treân maây
Be very happy about sth
On cloud nine Treân chín taàng maây
Get a kick from / out of sth Get a feeling of excitement, Hoà hôûi phaán khôûi
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 41

enjoyment out of sth

Happy when you no longer
have to deal with sb / sth
Glad to see the back of sb Nhö truùt ñöôïc gaùnh naëng
because they are annoying or
unpleasant
Smile widely in a foolish or self-
Grin like a Cheshire cat Cöôøi nhaên nhôû
satisfied way
Have a time of your life Enjoy yourself, be very happy
Vui loøng haû daï
Have a whale of time or excited
Happy and excited about future
Have stars in your eyes because you believe that you Maët töôi nhö hoa
will be successful and famous
Live happily and comfortably in
In the clover Söôùng nhö tieân
prosperity and success
In transports of joy / delight Feeling very great joy Môû côø trong buïng
Give sb interesting things to do
Keep sb amused or entertain them so that they Mua vui cho thieân haï
do not become bored
Kick up your heels Be relaxed and enjoy yourself
Laugh like drain Laugh very loudly Cöôøi nhö saám / cöôøi nhö phaù
Laugh up your sleeve at sb / Be secretly amused by sth Cöôøi thaàm trong buïng
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 42

sth
Laugh very loudly and for a Cöôøi laên cöôøi boø / cöôøi
Laugh your head off
long time noân ruoät
Like the cat that got / stole the Very pleased or satisfied with
Nhö baét ñöôïc vaøng
cream yourself
Very excited and giving your
On the edge of your seat
full attention to
On the top of the world Very happy or proud Maùt ruoät maùt gan
Over the moon Very happy and excited Maët töôi hôn hôùn
Split your sides laughing / with
Laugh a lot, laugh loudly Cöôøi nhö naéc neû
laughter
The more people or things
there are, the better the
The more the merrier Caøng ñoâng caøng vui
situation will be or the more fun
people will have
To be like a dog with two tails Be extremely happy Möøng nhö cha cheát soáng laïi
Be very interested in or
To be mad / keen on sth Söôùng quaù hoaù roà
enthusiastic about sth / sb
1/ Enjoy yourself very much
with a group of noisy people
Whoop it up
2/ Make people excited or
enthusiastic about sth
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 43

With open arms Extremely happy to see sb Tay baét maët möøng
Have a sudden feeling of
Your heart leaps Khaáp khôûi möøng thaàm
happiness or excitement

iii/ sadness:

English idioms Meanings Vietnamese idioms

Buoàn nhö ñöa ñaùm / buoàn
As cheerless as the grave
Very sad nhö chaáu caén/ buoàn nhö cha
As sad as night
cheát
Gioït chaâu laõ chaõ / nöôùc
Be drown in tears
maét tuoân traøo
Be in the blue Be depressed Buoàn xo buoàn ruïi
Make sb feel extremely
Break one's heart Tan vôõ traùi tim
unhappy
Crocodile tears (insincere
An insincere show of sadness Nöôùc maét caù saáu
sadness)
Cry your eyes out Cry a lot and for a long time Khoùc heát nöôùc maét / khoùc
nhö ri / khoùc nhö con gaùi veà
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 44

nhaø choàng
Cut to the quick Deeply hurt in one’s feelings Ruoät ñau nhö caét
Maët maøy uû eâ / æu xìu nhö
Feeling unhappy or without
Down in the dumps baùnh ña nhuùng nöôùc / æu xìu
hope
nhö baùnh bao chieàu
Down in the mouth Mieäng meùo xeäch
People drink a lot to forget their
Drown one's sorrows Ñaém chìm trong ñau khoå
pain, problems or unhappiness
Be dispirited, deeply
Have one's head in one's boots depressed, timorously anxious Maët maøy uû doät
about sth
Long face Maët chaûy daøi
Tiu ngæu nhö meøo bò caét tai /
Lose heart Become discouraged
tiu ngæu nhö choù cuïp ñuoâi
Cry noisily for a long time
Sob your heart out Khoùc ñöùng khoùc ngoài
because you are very sad
A feeling of being depressed
That Monday morning feeling because you have to start a Löø ñöø nhö oâng Töø giöõ ñeàn
new week back at work
With a feeling of sadness or
With a heavy / sinking heart Maët naëng nhö ñaù ñeo
fear
Your heart sink Used to say that you suddenly Maët naëng nhö chì
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 45

feel sad or depressed

Iv/ hatred:

English idioms Meanings Vietnamese idioms

Avoid sb / sth like the plague
Avoid sb / sth completely Traùnh nhö traùnh huûi
Keep somebody at arm's length
Can't stand the sight / sound of Dislike or hate to (see / hear)
Gheùt cay gheùt ñaéng
sb / sth sb / sth
Hate sb like poison Extremely hate sb Gheùt ngon gheùt ngoït
Gheùt nhau nhö choù vôùi meøo
Hate sb's guts
Dislike sb very much / nhö maët traêng vôùi maët
Hate the sight of sb / sth
trôøi / nhö nöôùc vôùi löûa
Dislike and have no respect for
Have no time for sb / sth Caêm thuø tôùi taän xöông tuûy
sb /sth
Have no use for sb / sth Strongly dislike sb /sth Khoâng ñoäi trôøi chung
There’s no love lost between A
Two people dislike each other Gheùt ñaøo ñaát ñoå ñi
and B
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 46

V/ anger:

English idioms Meanings Vietnamese idioms

An angry or disapproving
A black look AÙnh maét hình vieân ñaïn
expression on sb’s face
Do or say sth which makes sb
Add fuel to the fire / flames Ñoå theâm daàu vaøo löûa
even more angry
As angry as a wasp Noùng nhö Tröông Phi / maët
As red as a beetroot Very angry ñoû nhö gaác/ maët ñoû nhö gaø
As red as a turkey - cock choïi / maët ñoû nhö vang
Angrily fighting or arguing with
At each other throats Muoán aên töôi nuoát soáng
each other
Anger between people, especially
Bad / ill feelings after an argument or Töùc anh aùch
disagreement
Be / Get steamed up Noåi côn tam baønh
Be a person or thing that
Be a thorn in your flesh / side repeatedly annoys you or stops Caùi gai trong maét
you doing sth
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 47

Be hopping mad
Extremely angry Baàm gan soâi maùu
Be in a foul mood
Be on sb' s back
Annoy or criticize sb a lot Maéng vuoát maët khoâng kòp
Give sb grief about / over sth
Be angry and ready for an
Be on the warpath Noùng nhö löûa ñoát
argument or a fight about sth
Be out of your mind Be / go crazy Giaän maát khoân
Become red in the face Ñoû maët tía tai
Bite a person's head off Speak to sb angrily without a
Noåi traän loâi ñình
Jump down one's throat good reason
Blow your top / Blow your
stack
Fly into a rage / temper Noåi maùu xung thieân / noåi
Fly into a tantrum Suddenly become angry côn tam baønh/ giaän ñoû maët
Fly off handle / ñoû maët tía tai
Have / throw a tantrum / See
red
Cross as two sticks Annoyed, irritated, petulant Maët naëng maøy chì
Pretend not to see sb or not to
Cut sb dead Maët laïnh nhö tieàn
greet sb to show your anger
Do a slow burn Slowly get angry Giaän soâi maùu leân
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 48

Make sb feel confused, upset, and

Do sb 's head in Choïc oå kieán löûa
/ or annoyed
Make sb very annoyed, drive sb
Drive sb up the wall Töùc nöôùc vôõ bôø
crazy
Feel out of sorts Feel ill or bad tempered Nhaên nhö maët hoå phuø
Flip your lid Become very angry Töùc loän ruoät
Foam at the mouth Giaän suøi boït meùp
For crying out loud Used to express anger or
Maém mieäng day tay
Hell's teeth frustration
Get a person' s back up
Moù daùi ngöïa / treâu ong choïc
Give somebody / Get the Make sb annoyed
raén
hump
Annoy sb by preventing them
Get in sb' s hair Kyø ñaø caûn muõi
from doing sth
Be annoyed because you think
Get on your high horse that sb has not treated you with Baàm gan tím ruoät
enough respect
Get one's goat Annoy sb very much Töùc loän ruoät
Get out of bed on the wrong
Be bad – tempered from the
side / Get up on the wrong Töùc ñaày gan ñaày ruoät
moment you get up
side of the bed
Get steamed up (about sth) Become very angry or excited Soâi gan noåi maät
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 49

about sth
Shout at / speak angrily to sb
Maéng cho taét beáp / taùt
Give sb hell because they have done sth
nöôùc vaøo maët
wrong
Feel very angry and upset about Nghieán raêng nghieán lôïi /
Gnash your teeth
sth, especially because you nghieán raêng treøo treïo / nhe
Show one’s teeth
cannot get what you want nanh giô vuoát
Become extremely angry or
Go ape Töùc nhö boø ñaù
excited
Go ballistic
Go bananas / Have a pink / Become very angry Noåi maùu xung thieân
blue fit
Get into a state of violent
Go off deep end Giaõy naûy nhö ñæa phaûi voâi
emotion of anger
Have / throw a fit Become very excited or angry Ñieân tieát leân
Suddenly become very excited or
Have a cow Giaän ñieân ngöôøi
angry
Have a short temper Noùng tai noùng maët
Be very angry with sb and punish
Have sb' s guts for garters them severely for sth they have Töùc traøo maùu hoïng
done
Here we go again Used for showing you are angry Bieát roài khoå laém noùi maõi
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 50

or annoyed that sth is starting to

happen again
His bark is worse than his Sb is not really as angry or unkind
bite as they seem
His blood is up
Hit the roof / ceiling / Raise
Suddenly become very angry Soâi maùu leân / noùng maùu
the roof
Make sb's blood boil
Hot under the collar Angry or annoy Noùng gaùy

In high dudgeon In an angry or offended mood Cau maët cau maøy

Used for telling sb who is angry or

Keep your hair on very excited about sth to keep Haï hoûa
calm
Show that you are angry about a
Kick up / Make / Create /
situation, often by protesting in
Raise a stink about sth
public
Like a bear with a sore head Very bad – tempered Hung haêng con boï xít
Causing a person to be excitedly
Like a red rag to a bull Ñaèng ñaèng saùt khí
and violently angry
Make sb' s hair curl Shock or disturb sb Toùc tai döïng ngöôïc
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 51

Giaän tím maët / baàm gan tím

Purple with rage
ruoät
Run high Be strong and angry or excited Töùc caønh hoâng
Send sb away / off with a flea
(Refuse sb’s request) angrily
in their ear
Leave a place without request or
Shake the dust from one's
with relief or generally in anger or
feet
disgust
Sick to your stomach Disgusted or angry Töùc nhö ñaám bò boâng
Smooth somebody's ruffled Make sb feel less angry or
Nuoát giaän laøm laønh
feathers offended
Show that you are very angry,
Spit blood venom Gaét nhö maém toâm
speak in an angry way
Feel offended about sth, perhaps
Take sth amiss because you understand in a
wrong way
Take sth to heart Be very offended by sb’s criticism Töùc oùi maùu
Tear one's hair Be very worried or angry Voø ñaàu böùt tai
The feathers / fur / sparks will
There will be anger, annoyance
fly
To hell with sb / sth Used to express anger or dislike Bieán ñi cho khuaát maét!
and to say that you no longer
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 52

care about sb/ sth

Turn in his / her grave Likely to be shock or angry
Very angry and protesting very
Up in arms about / over sth
strongly

Vi/ embarrassment:

English idioms Meanings Vietnamese idioms

A burning shame
Theïn ñoû maët
A crying shame

As shy as a fawn E leä theïn thuøng / e theïn nhö

As shy as a school girl con gaùi môùi veà nhaø choàng
Maët ñoû nhö gaác / maët ñoû
Become red in face
nhö gaø choïi
Die of embarrassment Xaáu hoå muoán cheát
Hang your head in / for shame Look or feel embarrassed or Ngöôïng chín caû maët
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 53

Put to shame ashamed

Khoâng bieát chui loã neû naøo /
Not know where to hide oneself chui ñaàu xuoáng ñaát / chæ
muoán ñoän thoå

Vii/ worry / afraid:

English idioms Meanings Vietnamese idioms

A fuss about nothing
A lot of anger or worry about sth Roái tinh roái muø / lo boø
Make a song and dance about
that is not important traéng raêng
sth
Sb is very shy and is easily
A shrinking violet Yeáu boùng vía
frightened
Run nhö caày saáy / taùi ngaét
As afraid as a grasshopper
nhö gaø caét tieát / maët xanh
As nervous as a cat
nhö chaøm ñoå / maët traéng
As nervous as a mouse
nhö thaèng cheát troâi / run
As pale as a ghost
nhö deõ
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 54

(of legs or knees) feel weak

Be / Feel like jelly because you are nervous or Nhuõn nhö con chi chi
frightened
Admire sb / sth and be slightly
Be / Stand in awe of sb / sth Kính nhi vieãn chi
afraid of them / it
Be dead scared of sth Sôï cheát khieáp
Be frightened / nervous / Be very easily frightened, be
Sôï huøm sôï caû cöùt huøm
scared of your own shadow very nervous
Be / become very nervous about
Be in a stew Maát aên maát nguû
sth
Be on hot bricks
Tense, excited, nervous or
Like a cat on hot bricks Nhö ngoài treân ñoáng löûa
restless
On pins and needles
Be extremely frightened or
Be scared / bored witless Kinh hoàn baït vía
bored
Sôï xanh maët / maët vaøng
Blue in the face
nhö ngheä
Make sb crazy or very nervous or Giaäm giaät nhö choù thaùng
Drive sb out of their mind / wits
worried baûy
Fear has big eyes Thaàn hoàn naùt thaàn tính
Fear has quick ear Chim phaûi sôï caønh caây
cong / phaûi moät caùi, raùi
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 55

ñeán giaø
Frighten / Scare the life out of
Frighten sb very much Sôï khieáp ñaûm
sb
Feel anxious and nervous,
especially before an important
Get / Have the jitters Nhö ngoài phaûi coïc
event or before having to do sth
difficult
Get / Have butterflies in your Get / have nervous feeling in Kieán boø trong buïng / ruoät
stomach your stomach before doing sth roái nhö tô voø
Suddenly feel very worried,
Go hot and cold all over upset or frightened when you Laïnh caû ngöôøi
remember sth very unpleasant
Be unable to stay still because
Ñöùng ngoài khoâng yeân /
Have ants in your pants you are anxious or excited about
noùng ruoät soát loøng
sth
No longer want to continue what
you intended or have started
Have cold feet ÔÙn xöông söôøn
because you are nervous or
afraid
Have kittens Be nervous and anxious, AÊn khoâng ngon, nguû khoâng
especially when you are waiting yeân / soát ruoät soát gan /
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 56

for news of sth ruoät noùng nhö löûa

He is so timid that he can never
utter a word to assert himself on
He cannot say / cry Bo to a
any point however small and Nhaùt nhö thoû ñeá
goose
against anybody however
unformidable
Nervous, especially in a social
Ill at ease Sôï phaùt oám
situation
Very confused, worried or
In a (flat) spin Roái nhö canh heï
excited
In a blue funk Be depressed Maët xanh nhö ñít nhaùi
In a nervous, angry or excited Cuoáng leân nhö chuoät phaûi
In a lather
state khoùi
Make a quick, sudden movement
Nhaûy döïng leân / giaät baén
Jump out of your skin because sth has suddenly
ngöôøi / nhö giaãm phaûi löûa
frightened you
Cause sb a lot of trouble or
Lead sb a merry dance Lo cuoáng caø keâ
worry

Make one's flesh creep Make you feel afraid or full of Hoaûng kinh hoàn vía / hoàn
Make sb' s skin crawl disgust sieâu phaùch laïc
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 57

On edge Nervous, worried or anxious Nhö phoûng nöôùc soâi

Pale as death itself Maët xanh nhö taøu laù
Scare, annoy the hell out of sth Scare, annoy sb very much Kinh taâm taùng ñôûm
Scared / Frighten sb out of his
Frighten sb very much Doïa cho hoàn vía leân maây
wits
Shake in one's boots Afraid of sth Sôï noåi gai oác / noåi da gaø
Suddenly make sb stop by Ñöùng cheát traân / ñöùng
Stand in terror of sth frightening or surprising them; söõng nhö trôøi troàng / ñöùng
Stop sb in their tracks suddenly stop because sth has nhö bò choân chaân / ñöùng trô
frightened you nhö phoãng
So near that you become afraid
Too close for comfort
or anxious
Hardly able to breath because
With bated breath Lo soát voù
you are very anxious about sth
Your hair stand on end You feel very frightened, nervous Döïng toùc gaùy
You have a sudden feeling of
Your heart misses a beat Sôï ñöùng tim
fear, excitement
Your heart is in your mouth You feel very anxious or afraid Sôï maát maät
 APPENDIX A: IDIOMS ABOUT HUMAN FEELINGS 58

vIii/ envy:

English idioms Meanings Vietnamese idioms

Ghen maët xanh maøy xaùm / ghen
Green eyed - monster Jealousy
loàng ghen loän
Con gaø töùc nhau tieáng gaùy /
Very jealous (wanting sth that sb
Green with envy ghen aên töùc ôû / ghen aên gheùt
else has)
uoáng
Try to have all the possession
and social achievements that
Keep up with the Joneses your neighbors or other people Khoâng chòu thua chò keùm em
around you have, especially by
buying what they buy
Traâu buoäc gheùt traâu aên / voâ
Pale with envy duyeân gheùt keû coù duyeân /
Sick with jealousy khoâng tieàn gheùt keû coù tieàn
caàm tay