Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Precarious; Perilously High: Describes a location, typically a cliff, mountain path, or ledge, that is situated at a great height and is dangerously steep or lacking secure footing, creating a strong sense of danger and risk of falling.
   • Sheer; Steep: Emphasizes the vertical or near-vertical, abrupt nature of a surface, making it difficult or impossible to climb.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Vách đá cheo leo, dựng đứng. (A high and dangerous, sheer rock face.)
  • Con đường cheo leo trên bờ vực thẳm. (The precarious path along the brink of the abyss.)
  • Ngôi nhà nhỏ nằm ở vị trí cheo leo trên sườn núi. (The small house is located in a perilous spot on the mountainside.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "cheo leo" often carries a connotation of isolation and inaccessibility due to its dangerous height and steepness. It is frequently used in descriptive literature and travel writing to evoke a sense of awe and danger.

Variants and Related Words

• Chênh vênh (adj): Also means precarious or teetering, often implying instability and a lack of balance, but not necessarily at a great height like "cheo leo."

Synonyms

• Precarious: Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.
• Perilous: Full of danger or risk.
• Sheer: Very steep; almost vertical.
• Abrupt: Sudden and steep.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• While "cheo leo" itself is not commonly part of a fixed idiom, it is the primary descriptive term for landscapes. A related descriptive phrase is:
  • Chỗ cheo leo: A precarious spot.

    • Đừng đứng ở chỗ cheo leo như thế. (Don't stand in such a precarious spot.)

adj

1. High and dangerous
   • vách đá cheo leo, dựng đứng
     a high and dangerous and sheer rock