‘发愁’ is a verb meaning 'to fret', 'to worry', or 'to be anxious'—it describes the mental state of being troubled by a problem or uncertainty. Literally, ‘发’ (fā) means 'to emit' or 'to bring about', and ‘愁’ (chóu) means 'sorrow' or 'worry'; together, they convey the idea of 'giving rise to worry' or 'becoming worried'. The word carries a gentle, somewhat literary tone—not as intense as ‘焦虑’ (anxiety) but more vivid and personal than ‘担心’.

It’s commonly used in everyday speech and writing to express mild-to-moderate concern about practical matters: deadlines, finances, health, or interpersonal situations. Unlike some emotion verbs, ‘发愁’ is typically intransitive—it doesn’t take a direct object—but can be followed by ‘起来’, ‘了’, or ‘得…’ to indicate onset, completion, or degree. It often appears in spoken narratives or empathetic dialogue, especially when describing someone’s visible or relatable distress.