怎一个愁字了得

(last line of the poem 聲聲慢|声声慢[Sheng1 sheng1 Man4] by Song poet Li Qingzhao 李清照[Li3 Qing1 zhao4]) / how can it be expressed in one word, "sorrow"? / how can words express such sadness?

how

one / single / a (article) / as soon as / entire; whole; all; throughout / "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1) / also pr. [yao1] for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit

used in 自個兒|自个儿[zi4 ge3 r5]

variant of 個|个[ge4]

(classifier used before a noun that has no specific classifier) / (bound form) individual

to worry about

letter / symbol / character / word / CL:個|个[ge4] / courtesy or style name traditionally given to males aged 20 in dynastic China

(completed action marker) / (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) / (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)

to finish / to achieve / variant of 瞭|了[liao3] / to understand clearly

(of eyes) bright / clear-sighted / to understand clearly

unofficial variant of 瞭[liao4]

exceptional / outstanding / dreadful / appalling

to obtain / to get / to gain / to catch (a disease) / proper / suitable / proud / contented / to allow / to permit / ready / finished

structural particle: used after a verb (or adjective as main verb), linking it to following phrase indicating effect, degree, possibility etc

to have to / must / ought to / to need to