Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Shrill, high-pitched, and often unpleasant to the ear: Describes a sound, typically a voice, cry, or call, that is very high, sharp, and piercing.
   • Thin and reedy: Can describe a sound that is not only high but also weak or lacking in fullness.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Tiếng mèo kêu eo éo suốt đêm. (The cat's shrill cry lasted all night.)
  • Giọng cô ấy nghe eo éo và rất khó chịu. (Her voice sounds shrill and very unpleasant.)
  • Từ xa vọng lại tiếng gọi eo éo. (From afar came a piercing call.)

Advanced Usage

• Describing distant or faint high-pitched sounds: Often used for sounds that are heard from a distance, emphasizing their thin, carrying quality.
  • Trong đêm vắng, chỉ nghe tiếng côn trùng kêu eo éo. (In the empty night, only the shrill sound of insects could be heard.)
• Expressing annoyance or discomfort: The word often carries a negative connotation, implying the sound is irritating or grating.
  • Đừng nói giọng eo éo như thế! (Don't speak in such a shrill tone!)

Variants and Related Words

• Eo (onomatopoeia/adj): A shorter form, also imitative of a creaking or high-pitched sound. Can be used similarly but is less common.
  • Cánh cửa kêu eo. (The door creaked.)
• Éo (onomatopoeia/adj): Another imitative component, often used in reduplication for emphasis.
• Theo éo (adj): A variant form with the same meaning.
• Chói tai (adj): Ear-piercing, jarring (can be used for loud, harsh sounds, not necessarily high-pitched).
• Lanh lảnh (adj): Clear, ringing, and high-pitched (can have a more neutral or even positive connotation than ).

Synonyms

• Chói tai: Piercing, jarring.
• Lanh lảnh: Clear and ringing.
• The thé: Shrill, strident (often for voices, with a strong negative connotation).

Related Phrases and Idioms

(As an adjective primarily describing sound quality, *eo éo does not commonly form phrasal verbs. It is typically used directly to modify nouns like tiếng, giọng.)* - Kêu eo éo: To cry/shriek shrilly. - Con chim non kêu eo éo trong tổ. (The baby bird shrieked shrilly in the nest.) - Gọi eo éo: To call out in a shrill voice. - Đứa trẻ gọi eo éo cho mẹ. (The child called out shrilly for its mother.)

adj

1. shrill