Definitions

1. Adjective:
   • Blind in one eye: Describes a person or animal that has lost vision or has very poor vision in one eye, while the other eye remains functional. This condition can be congenital or acquired.
   • Visually jarring, causing discomfort to the eyes: Describes something that is visually unpleasant, mismatched, or glaring, causing a feeling of discomfort or irritation when looked at. This is a figurative extension of the primary meaning.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Literal meaning: Blind in one eye):

  • Ông cụ bị chột mắt sau một tai nạn. (The old man became blind in one eye after an accident.)
  • Con mèo chột mắt vẫn bắt chuột rất giỏi. (The one-eyed cat is still very good at catching mice.)

• Adjective (Figurative meaning: Visually jarring):

  • Bức tường sơn màu vàng chói cạnh màu xanh lá trông thật chột mắt. (The wall painted bright yellow next to green looks really jarring.)
  • Kiểu chữ này kết hợp với nền hoa văn đó gây cảm giác chột mắt. (This font combined with that patterned background creates a feeling of visual discomfort.)

Advanced Usage

• "làm chột mắt": to cause visual discomfort, to be an eyesore.

  • Tòa nhà kiến trúc lạc lõng đó làm chột mắt cả khu phố. (That architecturally incongruous building is an eyesore for the whole neighborhood.)

• Used to describe a feeling of irritation or displeasure caused by something that seems out of place or inappropriate, not just visually.

  • Thái độ kiêu ngạo của anh ta khiến mọi người chột mắt. (His arrogant attitude makes everyone uncomfortable/displeased.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chột (Adj): Can imply a defect, flaw, or something that is not right (e.g., - defective goods). Often used in combination with other words to specify the nature of the flaw.
• Mắt lác (Adj/Phrase): Cross-eyed, having strabismus. (Different condition from being blind in one eye).
• Mù một mắt (Phrase): Blind in one eye. A more direct, descriptive phrase.

Synonyms

• Mù một bên mắt (Phrase): Blind in one side's eye. (Literal synonym).
• Khó chịu về thị giác (Phrase): Visually uncomfortable. (For the figurative sense).
• Chói mắt (Adj): Dazzling, glaring. (Can overlap in the figurative sense when something is too bright).

Related Phrases

• Đau mắt (Adj/Phrase): Literally "sore eyes"; can mean something is ugly or unpleasant to look at, similar to the figurative use of .
• Gai mắt (Adj/Phrase): Literally "thorn in the eye"; means something is irritating or offensive to look at.

Related Idioms

• Chột dạ: Feeling uneasy, apprehensive, or having a bad feeling (about something). This idiom uses to indicate a flaw or disturbance in one's gut feeling (), paralleling the disturbance in sight ().
  • Nghe tin đó, tôi thấy chột dạ. (Hearing that news, I felt uneasy.)

1. Blind in one eye