Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Deafening, ear-splitting: Describes a sound that is extremely loud, intense, and overwhelming, often to the point of causing a sensation of dizziness or disorientation.
   • Mind-boggling, staggering: Can describe something (like news, a fact, or a sight) that is so shocking, surprising, or complex that it overwhelms the mind, causing a feeling of mental shock or confusion.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Tiếng còi báo động nghe thật choáng óc. (The alarm siren sounded truly deafening.)
  • Tin tức về vụ tai nạn khiến tôi choáng óc. (The news about the accident left me staggered.)
  • Âm thanh từ buổi hòa nhạc rock thật sự choáng óc. (The sound from the rock concert was truly mind-numbingly loud.)

Advanced Usage

• "choáng óc vì...": stunned/staggered/deafened by...
  • Cô ấy choáng óc vì sự thật phũ phàng. (She was staggered by the harsh truth.)
  • Khán giả choáng óc vì màn trình diễn ánh sáng. (The audience was stunned by the light show.)

Variants and Related Words

• Choáng váng (adj): Dizzy, lightheaded (often from physical causes like spinning or illness, but can also be used figuratively for shocking news). It shares the sense of disorientation but is less specific to sound.
• Choáng ngợp (adj): Overwhelmed, awestruck (usually by scale, grandeur, or beauty, e.g., a magnificent view).
• Điếc tai (adj): Deafening (literally "ear-deafening"; more strictly refers to loud sound).

Synonyms

• Chói tai: Piercing, shrill (to the ears).
• Ồn ào: Noisy, loud.
• Kinh hoàng: Horrifying, terrifying (emphasizes fear rather than just overwhelming intensity).

Related Phrases

• Làm cho choáng óc: To deafen; to stagger someone's mind.
  • Âm lượng lớn từ loa làm cho tôi choáng óc. (The high volume from the speakers deafened me.)

Related Idioms

• Choáng óc chóng mặt: An intensified phrase meaning utterly dizzying and overwhelming, combining both mental and physical disorientation.
  • Tốc độ phát triển của thành phố khiến du khách choáng óc chóng mặt. (The city's development speed leaves tourists utterly stunned and dizzy.)

1. Deafening