Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Horrified; Terrified: Experiencing an intense, overwhelming feeling of fear or dread, often to the point of being stunned or paralyzed.
   • Horrific; Horrifying: Causing extreme fear, shock, or dismay. Describes the terrifying nature of an event or situation itself.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (feeling horrified):

  • Mọi người đều kinh hoàng khi chứng kiến vụ tai nạn. (Everyone was horrified witnessing the accident.)
  • Cô ấy có vẻ kinh hoàng sau khi nghe tin. (She seemed terrified after hearing the news.)

• Adjective (describing a horrific thing):

  • Đó là một vụ thảm sát kinh hoàng. (That was a horrific massacre.)
  • Chúng tôi vừa xem một bộ phim kinh hoàng. (We just watched a horrifying film.)

Advanced Usage

• The adjective "kinh hoàng" can be used in formal contexts to describe catastrophic events or profound psychological fear.
• It can function attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb like "là" or "cảm thấy").

Variants and Related Words

• Kinh hãi (adj): Dreadful, terrified. A close synonym, sometimes used interchangeably, though "kinh hoàng" often implies a more paralyzing, shocking level of fear.
• Kinh sợ (v/adj): To fear greatly; to be afraid. More general than "kinh hoàng".
• Khiếp sợ (v/adj): To be terrified; to dread. Emphasizes a cowering or recoiling fear.

Synonyms

• Horrified: Filled with horror or shock.
• Terrified: Extremely frightened.
• Appalled: Greatly horrified or shocked.
• Horrific: Causing horror.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Gieo sự kinh hoàng (cho ai): To strike someone with consternation; to sow/instill horror in someone.
  • Hung thủ gieo sự kinh hoàng cho toàn thành phố. (The perpetrator struck the entire city with terror.)

adj

1. scared; consternated; frightened
   • gieo sự kinh hoàng cho ai
     to strike someone with consternation