Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Eye-irritating, offensive to the eye: Describes something that is visually jarring, unpleasant, or causes discomfort when looked at.
   • Feeling uneasy or annoyed at the sight of something: Describes the feeling of irritation or displeasure one experiences upon seeing something one finds disagreeable or objectionable.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cái bức tranh treo lệch đó trông thật ngứa mắt. (That crookedly hung painting looks really eye-irritating.)
  • Tôi thấy ngứa mắt khi nhìn cảnh họ vứt rác bừa bãi. (I feel annoyed/irritated at the sight of them littering carelessly.)
  • Kiểu trang trí lòe loẹt ấy thật sự rất ngứa mắt. (That gaudy decoration style is truly very offensive to the eye.)

Advanced Usage

• "Cảm thấy ngứa mắt": to feel irritated/annoyed by the sight of something.
  • Anh ta cảm thấy ngứa mắt trước sự thành công của đồng nghiệp. (He feels irritated/resentful at his colleague's success.)
• Used to express strong subjective disapproval or aesthetic distaste for what one sees.

Variants and Related Words

• Ngứa (tính từ/động từ): Itchy. The core meaning relates to an irritating physical sensation, which is metaphorically extended in "ngứa mắt".
• Khó chịu (tính từ): Uncomfortable, annoyed. A more general synonym for the feeling.
• Chói mắt (tính từ): Dazzling, glaring. Refers specifically to something too bright for the eyes, but can overlap in causing visual discomfort.

Synonyms

• Phản cảm (tính từ): Unpleasant, causing a negative reaction (often used for visual or moral offensiveness).
• Gai mắt (tính từ): Literally "thorn in the eye"; very similar in meaning to "ngứa mắt", denoting something visually irritating or bothersome.
• Khó coi (tính từ): Unpleasant to look at, unsightly.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• Ngứa mắt ngứa mũi: An intensified idiom meaning to be extremely irritated or annoyed by someone/something, often implying a desire to intervene or criticize.
  • Thấy họ làm việc cẩu thả, tôi ngứa mắt ngứa mũi muốn nói ngay. (Seeing them work sloppily, I was extremely irritated and wanted to speak up immediately.)

1. Shock the eyes; feel uneasy at seeing something shocking the eyes