Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Offensive to the eyes; visually jarring: Describes something that is unpleasant, displeasing, or irritating to look at, often because it is garish, out of place, or morally repugnant.
   • An eyesore: Something considered ugly or unsightly.

Usage

• As a predicate adjective: Typically follows the subject and a linking verb like "là" (is/are) or "thấy" (find/see).
• Describing a direct object: Often used with verbs of perception like "thấy" (see), "cảm thấy" (feel), "nhìn" (look at).

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Căn nhà màu sắc lòe loẹt đó trông thật chướng mắt. (That garishly colored house looks really offensive to the eyes / is a real eyesore.)
  • Tôi thấy bức tranh này rất chướng mắt. (I find this painting very visually jarring.)
  • Hành động vô văn hóa của họ thật chướng mắt. (Their uncivilized behavior is an eyesore / is offensive to behold.)

Advanced Usage

• "gây chướng mắt": to cause visual offense, to be an eyesore.
  • Việc xả rác bừa bãi gây chướng mắt cho cả khu phố. (Littering indiscriminately is an eyesore for the whole neighborhood.)
• Used to express strong subjective disapproval of something's appearance or the visual aspect of an action.

Variants and Related Words

• Chướng tai (adj): Offensive to the ears; jarring to hear.
• Chướng (adj, less common alone): Can imply something is obstructive, incongruous, or offensive. Often found in compound words like "chướng mắt", "chướng tai".
• Nghịch mắt (adj): Similar to "chướng mắt", meaning displeasing to the eye.

Synonyms

• Khó coi: Unpleasant to look at, unsightly.
• Gai mắt: Literally "thorn in the eye"; irritating to look at.
• Mất thẩm mỹ: Lacking aesthetic value, unaesthetic.

Related Idioms

• Chướng mắt chướng tai: (Offensive to the eyes and ears). Used to describe something that is both visually and audibly unpleasant or irritating.
  • Màn trình diễn lộn xộn ấy thật chướng mắt chướng tai. (That messy performance was offensive to both the eyes and ears.)