Definitions

1. Adjective:
   • Biting cold, bitterly cold, piercing cold: Describes an intense, penetrating cold that feels sharp and deeply chilling, often causing physical discomfort. It emphasizes the sensation of cold that seems to seep into one's bones.
   • Freezing, frigid: Can describe extremely cold weather or conditions.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Trời đông giá buốt. (The winter weather is biting cold.)
  • Cơn gió đêm mang theo hơi lạnh giá buốt. (The night wind carried a piercingly cold chill.)
  • Tay chân tôi cóng lại vì giá buốt. (My hands and feet are numb from the bitter cold.)

Advanced Usage

• "lạnh giá buốt xương": An intensified phrase meaning "bone-chillingly cold," emphasizing the depth of the cold sensation.
  • Sương muối rơi làm không khí lạnh giá buốt xương. (The frost made the air bone-chillingly cold.)

Variants and Related Words

• Giá rét (noun/phrase): Cold spell, freezing weather. Focuses more on the weather condition itself.
  • Đợt giá rét kéo dài. (The cold spell lasted a long time.)
• Buốt (adjective): Sharp, piercing, aching (often used for cold or pain). It's the core element conveying the sharp, penetrating sensation in "giá buốt."
  • Răng đau buốt. (A sharp toothache.)
• Lạnh buốt (adjective): Chilly and piercing. Very similar in meaning and often interchangeable with "giá buốt."

Synonyms

• Lạnh thấu xương: Literally "cold penetrating to the bones," idiomatically "bone-chilling."
• Lạnh cắt da cắt thịt: Literally "cold that cuts skin and flesh," meaning "bitterly cold."
• Băng giá: Icy, frosty (often describes surfaces or a frozen state).

Notes on Meaning

• Primary Meaning: The core meaning is an intense, physically felt cold characterized by a sharp, penetrating quality. It's more severe than just "lạnh" (cold).
• Figurative Use: While primarily literal, it can be used figuratively to describe a very cold atmosphere, demeanor, or emotion.
  • Ánh mắt giá buốt của anh ấy. (His icy gaze.)

adjective

1. biting cold