Definition

1. Adjective (Tính từ):
   • Looking foolish, bewildered, or dumbfounded: Describes a facial expression showing confusion, stupidity, or being at a loss, often due to surprise or inability to understand a situation.
   • Having a blank, clueless, or silly look: Refers to a vacant, unintelligent, or silly appearance on someone's face.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Nghe tin đó, anh ta đứng đực mặt ra một lúc lâu. (Upon hearing that news, he stood there looking completely dumbfounded for a long time.)
  • Đừng có nhìn đực mặt như thế, tập trung vào lời tôi nói đi! (Don't stand there looking so clueless, focus on what I'm saying!)
  • Câu hỏi khó quá khiến cả lớp đực mặt. (The question was so difficult it made the whole class look bewildered.)

Advanced Usage

• "đứng đực mặt (ra)": to stand there looking foolish/dumbstruck.
  • Nó đứng đực mặt ra không biết trả lời thế nào. (He stood there dumbstruck, not knowing how to answer.)
• "nhìn đực mặt": to look with a foolish/clueless expression.
  • Nó cứ nhìn đực mặt vào màn hình máy tính. (He just kept staring at the computer screen with a blank look.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đực (adj): In colloquial usage, can similarly mean foolish, stupid, or blank. "Đực mặt" is a more specific phrase derived from this.
  • Mặt nó trông đực quá! (His face looks so stupid!)
• Ngây ngô (adj): Naive, innocent-looking (less vulgar, more gentle than "đực mặt").
• Ngớ ngẩn (adj): Foolish, silly (describes general behavior, not specifically facial expression).

Synonyms

• Ngẩn ngơ: dazed, absent-minded.
• Ngớ người: stunned, dumbfounded.
• Bàng hoàng: shocked, dismayed (stronger emotional reaction).

Notes on Usage

• Register: This is a colloquial (thông tục) and somewhat vulgar (vulg.) term. It is informal and can be impolite or mocking. Avoid using it in formal writing or polite conversation.
• Nuance: It strongly emphasizes a foolish, unintelligent, or vacant look on the face, often implying a lack of quick thinking or comprehension. It is more derogatory than neutral synonyms like "bối rối" (flustered).

1. (thông tục) như đực