Definition

Noun: * Tears: A single drop of liquid that comes from the eyes when crying, often used in a poetic or literary context to convey deep sadness, emotion, or beauty. It is a more elegant and figurative term than the common word "nước mắt".

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong đêm cô đơn, những hạt lệ lăn dài trên má cô. (In the lonely night, tears streamed down her cheeks.)
  • Câu chuyện cảm động ấy khiến bao hạt lệ rơi. (That touching story caused many tears to fall.)
  • Bài thơ vẽ nên hình ảnh hạt lệ long lanh như sương mai. (The poem paints an image of tears glistening like morning dew.)

Advanced Usage

• "Rơi hạt lệ": To shed a tear.
  • Nghe tin buồn, bà cụ không khỏi rơi hạt lệ. (Hearing the sad news, the old lady couldn't help but shed a tear.)
• "Hạt lệ ngậm ngùi": Tears of sorrow/regret (a poetic phrase).
  • Anh tiễn em đi với hạt lệ ngậm ngùi. (He saw her off with sorrowful tears.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nước mắt (n): The standard, common word for "tears".
  • Cô ấy lau nước mắt. (She wiped her tears.)
• Giọt lệ (n): A synonym for "hạt lệ", also meaning "a drop/teardrop", used in literary contexts.
  • Thơ ca thường nhắc đến giọt lệ chia ly. (Poetry often mentions teardrops of separation.)
• Lệ (n, literary): An abbreviated, classical form meaning "tears", often found in Sino-Vietnamese compound words or poetry.
  • Lệ rơi (tears fall), vương lệ (stained with tears).

Synonyms

• Nước mắt: Tears (neutral, common term).
• Giọt lệ: Teardrop (literary synonym).

Related Idioms

• "Nước mắt chảy thành sông": Literally "tears flow to form a river"; means crying profusely.
  • Đau lòng quá, nước mắt chị ấy chảy thành sông. (She was so heartbroken her tears flowed like a river.)
• "Cười ra nước mắt": Literally "to laugh until tears come out"; means a situation is both funny and sad or frustrating.
  • Nghe lý do của nó, tôi chỉ biết cười ra nước mắt. (Hearing his reason, I could only laugh until tears came out.)

noun

1. tears