men mét
Definition
- Adjective:
- Slightly pale or ashen: Describes a complexion that has lost some of its normal color, often due to a temporary physical or emotional state such as fear, illness, fatigue, or shock. It implies a light, wan paleness, not a deep pallor.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Mặt nó trông men mét vì sợ hãi. (His face looked slightly pale from fear.)
- Sau trận ốm, da cô ấy vẫn còn men mét. (After the illness, her skin was still somewhat ashen.)
- Nghe tin đó, mặt anh ta đột nhiên men mét. (Hearing that news, his face suddenly turned pale.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "men mét" is often used to describe a subtle, initial change in complexion. It is more nuanced than simply "tái mét" (which indicates a more pronounced, ghastly paleness). "Men mét" suggests the first visible signs of color draining from the face.
Variants and Related Words
Tái mét (adj): deathly pale, ghastly pale. Indicates a much stronger and more severe paleness than "men mét."
- Mặt cô ấy tái mét khi nhìn thấy máu. (Her face turned deathly pale when she saw blood.)
Xanh xao (adj): pale and sickly, often with a slightly greenish or sallow tint, usually from prolonged poor health.
- Đứa trẻ trông xanh xao vì suy dinh dưỡng. (The child looks pale and sickly from malnutrition.)
Synonyms
- Wan: pale and giving the impression of illness or exhaustion.
- Ashen: of a pale grayish color, like ash.
- Pallid: pale, typically because of poor health.
Related Idioms
- "Mặt cắt không ra máu": Literally "a face from which blood cannot be cut," meaning an extremely pale, bloodless face. This is a stronger idiom than the condition described by "men mét."
- Sợ đến nỗi mặt cắt không ra máu. (So scared that his face was deathly pale.)