Definition

Adjective: - Extremely high, towering, sky-high: Describes something of immense height, reaching towards the sky, often evoking a sense of awe or grandeur.

Usage

• "ngất trời" is primarily used as an adjective following a noun (usually one denoting height) to intensify its meaning. The common structure is: [Noun indicating height] + cao + ngất trời.
• It is a literary and expressive term, often found in descriptive writing, poetry, or emphatic speech to paint a vivid picture.

Usage Examples

• (The skyscraper is towering / sky-high.)
• (The mountain range in the distance is immensely high.)
• (That ancient tree is towering, with lush branches and leaves.)

Advanced Usage

• While typically paired with "cao" (high/tall), it can be used with other words implying great vertical extent in poetic contexts.
  • Tháp chuông vươn ngất trời. (The bell tower rises skyward.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngất ngưởng (adj): Describes something towering and often precarious or swaying; also used figuratively for an arrogant, aloof attitude.
• Ngất nghểu (adj): Describes something very tall and slender, often swaying.

Synonyms

• Cao chót vót: Very high, lofty (often for natural features like mountains or trees).
• Cao vời vợi: Extremely high, seemingly unreachable (can be literal or figurative).
• Cao vút: Soaring high, shooting up high.

Notes on Meaning

• The term ngất trời is almost exclusively used in a literal sense to describe physical height. It is not typically used in abstract or figurative ways (e.g., for prices or emotions), unlike the English "sky-high." For abstract concepts, other words like "cao ngất" or "trên trời" are used.
• It functions as an intensifier for "cao," adding a dramatic, visual quality to the description.

1. Sky-craping, sky-high, towering
   • Tòa nhà mấy chục tầng cao ngất trời
     A sky-high building with scores of storeys, a sky-srcaping multi-storeyed building