ngước mắt
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To look up / to raise one's eyes: The action of directing one's gaze upward, typically by moving the head or eyes. It often implies looking at something higher than one's current eye level or looking upward from a bowed or lowered head position.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Cô ấy ngước mắt nhìn lên bầu trời đầy sao. (She looked up at the starry sky.)
- Đứa trẻ ngước mắt nhìn mẹ một cách ngây thơ. (The child looked up at its mother innocently.)
- Anh ấy chỉ cúi đầu, không dám ngước mắt lên. (He just bowed his head, not daring to look up.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase can convey specific emotions or contexts based on what follows. It is often followed by words indicating the target of the gaze (e.g., - look up, - look towards).
- Ngước mắt lên cao, tôi thấy một cánh diều. (Looking up high, I saw a kite.)
- Sau thất bại, anh ấy không còn ngước mắt nhìn ai nữa. (After the failure, he no longer looked anyone in the eye [by raising his gaze].)
Variants and Related Words
Ngước lên (v): to look up, to raise one's head/gaze upward. A slightly shorter form with the same core meaning.
- Nó ngước lên và mỉm cười. (He looked up and smiled.)
Ngước nhìn (v): to look up at. A common combination emphasizing the act of looking.
- Cậu bé ngước nhìn tòa nhà chọc trời. (The boy looked up at the skyscraper.)
Synonyms
- Look up: to direct one's gaze upward.
- Raise one's eyes: to lift one's eyes to see.
Related Idioms and Expressions
Ngước mắt không tới: An idiom meaning something is beyond one's reach or aspirations; literally "to look up but not reach."
- Những ước mơ xa xôi ấy, tôi ngước mắt không tới. (Those distant dreams are beyond my reach.)
The phrase is often used in literary or descriptive contexts to show reverence, curiosity, observation, or a change from a submissive or thoughtful posture.