noun
Refers to intense mental or emotional suffering, often with a sense of writhing or inner turmoil. Commonly used in literary or expressive contexts.
彼の胸には深い悶えがあった。
There was deep agony in his heart.
その詩は失恋の悶えを描いている。
The poem depicts the anguish of a broken heart.
悩み refers to worries or troubles, often with a sense of brooding. 悶え is stronger and more visceral, suggesting agony rather than mere worry.
Derived from the verb 悶える (もだえる, 'to writhe in agony'). The noun form 悶え nominalizes the verb stem, carrying the same intense emotional connotation.