gấp gay
Definition
- Adjective:
- Barely open / squinting: Describes eyes that are only partially open, often due to drowsiness, bright light, or an attempt to focus, and appear to be flickering or unable to open fully.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Đôi mắt cô ấy gấp gay vì buồn ngủ. (Her eyes were barely open due to sleepiness.)
- Ánh nắng chói chang khiến mắt anh gấp gay. (The glaring sunlight made his eyes squint.)
- Ông cụ nhìn tôi với đôi mắt gấp gay. (The old man looked at me with squinting eyes.)
Advanced Usage
- This term is descriptive and somewhat literary. It is primarily used to depict a specific, strained facial expression involving the eyes.
Variants and Related Words
- Nheo mắt (v): to squint (the more common, active verb for the action of squinting).
- Cô ấy nheo mắt lại để nhìn cho rõ. (She squinted to see clearly.)
Synonyms
- Squinting: partially closing the eyes.
- Bleary: (of eyes) dull, unfocused, or filmy from sleep or tiredness, which can involve being half-open.
Related Idioms
- There are no common idioms directly using the phrase "gấp gay". It is used as a standalone descriptive adjective.