Definition

Adjective: - Startled and apprehensive: A sudden feeling of fear, worry, or guilt because one senses that a hidden mistake, misdeed, or secret is in danger of being discovered or exposed. It describes a specific internal reaction of alarm mixed with a guilty conscience.

Usage Examples

• (Seeing someone staring intently at him, the thief was startled and apprehensive.)
• (Hearing the boss's unexpected question, he felt a pang of guilt because he knew he had made a mistake.)
• (Seeing the suspicious look in her mother's eyes, the child felt a sudden fear of being found out.)

Advanced Usage

This word is primarily used to describe a psychological state and is not typically combined to form phrasal verbs. Its usage is almost always figurative, relating to a guilty conscience or fear of exposure.

Variants and Related Words

• Giật mình (v): to be startled, to jump in surprise. This is a more general term for being physically or mentally startled, without the necessary connotation of a guilty secret.
• Lo sợ (v): to worry, to be afraid. This is a broader term for anxiety and fear.

Synonyms

• Apprehensive: anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
• Guilt-ridden: filled with feelings of guilt.
• Conscience-stricken: feeling anxious or guilty because of having done something wrong.

Related Idioms

There are no common idioms that use the exact phrase "chột dạ." The concept is itself a specific idiomatic expression for a sudden guilty fear.

1. Startled
   • thấy có người chăm chú nhìn mình, tên gian chột dạ
     the thief was startled by someone's stare