====== fennu: 愤怒 - Angry, Furious, Indignant ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** fennu, 愤怒, angry in Chinese, furious in Chinese, Chinese word for anger, indignation in Chinese, Chinese emotions, 生气 vs 愤怒, HSK 5 vocabulary.
  * **Summary:** Learn the powerful Chinese word **愤怒 (fènnù)**, which means "furious" or "indignant." This page explores its meaning, cultural context, and practical use. Unlike the common word for "angry" (生气, shēngqì), **愤怒** expresses a deep, often righteous anger reserved for serious situations like injustice or betrayal. Discover how to use this advanced term correctly and understand its significance in Chinese culture.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** fènnù
  * **Part of Speech:** Adjective / Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  * **Concise Definition:** To be furious, enraged, or filled with indignation.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **愤怒 (fènnù)** is not your everyday "angry." It's a strong, heavy emotion. Think of the fury you'd feel upon witnessing a grave injustice, being betrayed by a close friend, or seeing your country insulted. It implies that the anger is justified and profound. While the English word "angry" can be used for minor annoyances, **愤怒** is almost always reserved for serious matters.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **愤 (fèn):** This character is about a strong, pent-up emotion. The left part, the "heart" radical (忄), indicates it's a feeling. The right part, 奋 (fèn), means "to exert" or "to strive." Together, they create a picture of a powerful emotion bursting forth from the heart. It often carries a sense of indignation or resentment.
  * **怒 (nù):** This character is also pure anger. The bottom part is the "heart" radical (心). The top part, 奴 (nú), means "slave." One interpretation is the feeling of a heart being suppressed or controlled, leading to a powerful, rebellious anger.
  * When combined, **愤怒 (fènnù)** creates a compound word for intense, justified anger—an indignant fury that comes from a deep place.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
  * In traditional Chinese culture, maintaining social **[[和谐]] (héxié) - harmony** is paramount. Openly displaying strong, negative emotions is often discouraged as it can cause others to lose **[[面子]] (miànzi) - "face"** and disrupt group cohesion.
  * This makes the expression of **愤怒 (fènnù)** a very significant act. It's not a casual outburst. When someone expresses **愤怒**, it signals that a serious moral or ethical line has been crossed. It is a righteous anger, not just a personal frustration.
  * Compare this to the Western cultural encouragement to "express your feelings" or "let it all out." In China, anger is often suppressed, and when **愤怒** is finally shown, it's a powerful statement against injustice, betrayal, or profound disrespect. It's the kind of anger a community might feel toward a corrupt official, not the anger you feel when someone cuts you off in traffic.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
  * **Formal and Written Contexts:** You will most often encounter **愤怒** in news articles (e.g., "The citizens expressed their **愤怒** towards the new policy"), historical texts, formal speeches, and literature. It adds a sense of gravity and seriousness.
  * **Dramatic Spoken Contexts:** In daily conversation, using **愤怒** would sound overly dramatic and theatrical. A person might use it when recounting a story of serious wrongdoing or betrayal to emphasize the intensity of their feelings, but it's not for everyday complaints.
  * **Social Media:** On platforms like Weibo, **愤怒** is often used to express collective public outrage over social issues, scandals, or injustices. It signals a shared, righteous anger among netizens.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:** 
    * 听到这个不公正的判决，他感到非常**愤怒**。
    * Pinyin: Tīngdào zhège bù gōngzhèng de pànjué, tā gǎndào fēicháng **fènnù**.
    * English: He felt extremely furious upon hearing the unjust verdict.
    * Analysis: This is a classic use of **愤怒**. The anger is caused by a serious injustice, making the strong emotion appropriate.
  * **Example 2:** 
    * 他的背叛行为激起了我的**愤怒**。
    * Pinyin: Tā de bèipàn xíngwéi jīqǐle wǒ de **fènnù**.
    * English: His act of betrayal aroused my fury.
    * Analysis: Here, **愤怒** is used as a noun ("fury," "anger"). Betrayal is a serious personal offense that justifies this level of anger.
  * **Example 3:** 
    * 人们**愤怒**地走上街头，抗议腐败问题。
    * Pinyin: Rénmen **fènnù** de zǒu shàng jiētóu, kàngyì fǔbài wèntí.
    * English: The people furiously took to the streets to protest against the corruption issue.
    * Analysis: The adverbial form **愤怒地 (fènnù de)** describes the manner of the action. It highlights the collective, righteous anger of the protesters.
  * **Example 4:** 
    * 这篇文章充满了对社会不公的**愤怒**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè piān wénzhāng chōngmǎnle duì shèhuì bùgōng de **fènnù**.
    * English: This article is filled with indignation towards social injustice.
    * Analysis: A perfect example of its use in a written or literary context. **愤怒** here is an abstract noun representing a powerful sentiment.
  * **Example 5:** 
    * 面对毫无根据的指责，她**愤怒**地反驳了。
    * Pinyin: Miànduì háo wú gēnjù de zhǐzé, tā **fènnù** de fǎnbóle.
    * English: Facing the groundless accusations, she retorted furiously.
    * Analysis: Her anger is a direct and justified response to being wronged, making **愤怒** the right word choice.
  * **Example 6:** 
    * 你能想象我当时的**愤怒**吗？
    * Pinyin: Nǐ néng xiǎngxiàng wǒ dāngshí de **fènnù** ma?
    * English: Can you imagine my fury at that moment?
    * Analysis: Used in speech, but only when recounting a very serious event. The speaker is emphasizing the extreme level of their anger.
  * **Example 7:** 
    * 这位老将军的眼中闪烁着**愤怒**的火焰。
    * Pinyin: Zhè wèi lǎo jiāngjūn de yǎnzhōng shǎnshuòzhe **fènnù** de huǒyàn.
    * English: A flame of fury flickered in the old general's eyes.
    * Analysis: A very descriptive and literary use, common in novels. It paints a vivid picture of intense, contained anger.
  * **Example 8:** 
    * 浪费粮食的行为让那位农民感到**愤怒**。
    * Pinyin: Làngfèi liángshí de xíngwéi ràng nà wèi nóngmín gǎndào **fènnù**.
    * English: The act of wasting food made that farmer feel indignant.
    * Analysis: This anger is rooted in a violation of deep-seated values (the importance of food and hard work). It is a moral, righteous anger.
  * **Example 9:** 
    * 新闻报道引发了公众的**愤怒**。
    * Pinyin: Xīnwén bàodào yǐnfāle gōngzhòng de **fènnù**.
    * English: The news report sparked public outrage.
    * Analysis: **愤怒** is often paired with "the public" (公众) to mean "public outrage" or "public fury."
  * **Example 10:** 
    * 我起初只是有点生气，但后来就变成了**愤怒**。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ qǐchū zhǐshì yǒudiǎn shēngqì, dàn hòulái jiù biànchéngle **fènnù**.
    * English: At first I was just a little annoyed, but later it turned into fury.
    * Analysis: This sentence excellently contrasts **生气 (shēngqì)** with **愤怒**, showing a progression from a mild emotion to a much stronger one.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **The Biggest Mistake: Using 愤怒 for Minor Annoyances.** The most common error is treating **愤怒** like the English word "angry." It is much stronger. If you are mad because you missed your bus or someone is late, you should use **[[生气]] (shēngqì)**.
  * **Incorrect:** 我没找到我的钥匙，我很**愤怒**。(Wǒ méi zhǎodào wǒ de yàoshi, wǒ hěn **fènnù**.) - I can't find my keys, I'm furious.
  * **Why it's wrong:** This situation is a minor frustration, not a grave injustice. It makes you sound overly dramatic.
  * **Correct:** 我没找到我的钥匙，我很**生气** (Wǒ méi zhǎodào wǒ de yàoshi, wǒ hěn **shēngqì**) or 我很**着急** (wǒ hěn **zhāojí** - I'm anxious/worried).
  * **愤怒 (fènnù) vs. 生气 (shēngqì):**
    * **生气 (shēngqì):** The default, all-purpose word for "angry." Use it for personal frustrations, arguments, being annoyed, etc. (e.g., "Don't be angry with me." - 别生我的气。)
    * **愤怒 (fènnù):** A strong, formal word for "fury" or "indignation." Use it for serious moral, ethical, or personal violations. (e.g., "Fury against corruption." - 对腐败的愤怒。)
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * **[[生气]] (shēngqì)** - The most common word for "angry" or "upset." It's the everyday counterpart to the more formal **愤怒**.
  * **[[发火]] (fā huǒ)** - Literally "to emit fire." This verb phrase means "to lose one's temper" or "to fly into a rage." It describes the action of getting angry.
  * **[[恼火]] (nǎohuǒ)** - To be "annoyed," "irritated," or "vexed." It's less intense than **生气**.
  * **[[怨恨]] (yuànhèn)** - "To resent" or "to hold a grudge." This describes a deep, long-lasting bitterness, often kept internally.
  * **[[义愤]] (yìfèn)** - "Righteous indignation." A more specific type of **愤怒**, where the "righteous" (义) nature of the anger is explicitly stated.
  * **[[暴怒]] (bàonù)** - "Violent rage" or "fury." Even more intense than **愤怒**, this word emphasizes the explosive and potentially violent nature of the anger.
  * **[[情绪]] (qíngxù)** - The general term for "emotion," "feeling," or "mood."
  * **[[和谐]] (héxié)** - The cultural concept of "harmony," which often leads to the suppression of overt negative emotions like **愤怒**.
  * **[[面子]] (miànzi)** - "Face" or social standing. Expressing **愤怒** can cause someone to lose face, making it a serious social act.