Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Completely cold, having lost all warmth: Describes something (typically food, drink, or an object) that was once warm or hot but has now become completely cold, often to an unpleasant degree. It emphasizes the total absence of heat.
   • Figuratively cold, devoid of warmth or emotion: Describes an atmosphere, a relationship, or a person's demeanor that is emotionally cold, distant, or unwelcoming.

Usage Examples

• Literal meaning:

  • Cà phê để lâu quá nên đã nguội tanh. (The coffee was left for too long, so it has become completely cold.)
  • Bát canh nguội tanh không còn hấp dẫn nữa. (The bowl of soup, now stone-cold, is no longer appealing.)

• Figurative meaning:

  • Bầu không khí trong phòng họp thật nguội tanh. (The atmosphere in the meeting room was utterly cold.)
  • Sau cuộc cãi vã, tình cảm giữa họ trở nên nguội tanh. (After the argument, the affection between them turned completely cold.)

Advanced Usage

• "nguội tanh như tiền": An idiom meaning "as cold as cash," used to describe a relationship based purely on money, devoid of genuine warmth or emotion.
  • Mối quan hệ của họ chỉ là nguội tanh như tiền. (Their relationship is as cold as cash.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nguội (adj): Cold, cooled down. This is the base word, less intense than "nguội tanh."

  • Trà đã nguội. (The tea has cooled down.)

• Nguội ngắt (adj): Completely cold, icy cold. A near-synonym with similar intensity to "nguội tanh," often used interchangeably.

  • Bàn tay anh ấy nguội ngắt. (His hands were icy cold.)

• Lạnh tanh (adj): Very cold, chilly. Often used for weather or environments but can also imply emotional coldness.

  • Trời đông lạnh tanh. (The winter weather is bitterly cold.)

Synonyms

• Lạnh lẽo: Cold, bleak, desolate (often for places or emotions).
• Lạnh nhạt: Cold, indifferent, aloof (specifically for attitudes or behavior).

Notes on Meaning

The word "nguội tanh" strongly emphasizes a state of having lost all warmth, either physical or emotional. It often carries a negative connotation, suggesting something is no longer pleasant, inviting, or functional due to the absence of heat or warmth. The addition of "tanh" intensifies the meaning of the root word "nguội."

1. như nguội ngắt