verb HSK 4
Traditional 發怒
to get angry · to lose one's temper · to fly into a rage

Meaning

发怒 means to become angry or to lose one's temper. It describes the action of transitioning into an angry state, often suddenly or visibly. The word combines 发 (to emit, to release) with 怒 (anger), creating the meaning of 'releasing anger' or 'becoming angry.'

Usage

发怒 is a somewhat formal or literary term compared to colloquial alternatives like 生气. It often implies a more intense or visible expression of anger, suggesting someone has reached their breaking point. Native speakers might use it in written contexts, formal speech, or when describing someone's anger in narrative form.

Examples

  1. 01
    老师因为学生不听话而发怒了。
    Lǎoshī yīnwèi xuésheng tīnghuà ér le.
    The teacher got angry because the students were disobedient.
  2. 02
    他听到这个消息后勃然发怒
    tīng dào zhège xiāoxi hòu rán .
    He flew into a rage after hearing this news.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 勃然发怒
    rán
    to suddenly fly into a rage
  • 大发雷霆
    léi tíng
    to rage furiously (idiom)

Antonyms

Origin

The character 怒 originally depicted a slave (奴) with a heart radical (心), representing the suppressed anger of someone in bondage. 发 adds the sense of releasing or expressing that anger outwardly.

Related