lạnh giá
Definition
Adjective:
- Bitterly cold / freezing: Describes an extremely low temperature, often causing discomfort or a piercing sensation of cold. It emphasizes intensity beyond normal coldness.
- Frigid / icy: Can describe a coldness that is harsh, severe, and penetrating, often used for weather, climates, or environments.
Adjective (figurative):
- Cold / icy: Describes a lack of warmth, emotion, or friendliness in a person's demeanor, attitude, or an atmosphere (e.g., a relationship or reception).
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Trời đông lạnh giá. (The winter weather is bitterly cold.)
- Căn phòng trống trải và lạnh giá. (The empty room was cold and frigid.)
- Adjective (figurative):
- Cô ấy đón tiếp chúng tôi với thái độ lạnh giá. (She greeted us with a cold, icy attitude.)
Advanced Usage
- "cái lạnh giá": the freezing cold (used as a noun phrase).
- Cái lạnh giá của vùng cực. (The freezing cold of the polar region.)
Variants and Related Words
- Lạnh (adj): cold. This is the root word, while "lạnh giá" is more intense.
- Nước lạnh. (Cold water.)
- Giá lạnh (adj): cold, chilly (similar meaning, sometimes used interchangeably with "lạnh giá").
- Thời tiết giá lạnh. (Chilly weather.)
- Băng giá (adj/n): frosty, icy; frost.
- Mặt đường băng giá. (The road surface is icy.)
Synonyms
- Freezing: extremely cold.
- Frigid: very cold in temperature or demeanor.
- Icy: very cold; or metaphorically, very unfriendly.
Related Idioms
- Lạnh giá tâm can / Lạnh giá cõi lòng: A figurative idiom meaning a deeply felt emotional coldness or heartbreak.
- Lời từ chối khiến lòng cô lạnh giá. (The rejection made her heart turn cold.)