rợn rợn
Definition
- Adjective:
- Slightly creepy or eerie: Describes a faint, unsettling feeling caused by something strange, mysterious, or suggestive of the supernatural. It implies a low-level sensation of fear or unease, not full-blown terror.
- Giving a slight shiver: Conveys a mild physical reaction, like a faint chill or goosebumps, often due to a creepy atmosphere or thought.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Căn nhà bỏ hoang trông rợn rợn. (The abandoned house looks slightly creepy.)
- Nghe câu chuyện ma ấy, tôi thấy rợn rợn sống lưng. (Listening to that ghost story, I felt a slight shiver down my spine.)
- Không khí trong rừng lúc chạng vạng thật rợn rợn. (The atmosphere in the forest at dusk is truly eerie.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "rợn rợn" is often used to describe an ambiguous, lingering feeling that is hard to pinpoint. It is weaker and more subtle than its root "rợn" (to be scared/creeped out).
- It frequently modifies nouns related to atmosphere, feeling, or appearance.
Variants and Related Words
- Rợn (adj/verb): To be scared, to feel a creepier or stronger sense of fear.
- Tiếng động lạ làm tôi rợn cả người. (The strange noise made my whole body creep out.)
- Rùng rợn (adj): Ghastly, horrifying, macabre. This is stronger than "rợn rợn".
- Đó là một cảnh tượng rùng rợn. (That was a ghastly scene.)
Synonyms
- Creepy: causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or unease.
- Eerie: strange and frightening.
- Unsettling: causing anxiety or uneasiness.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Rợn người / Rợn tóc gáy: To be extremely frightened (literally: to make one's hair stand on end). This is a much stronger reaction than "rợn rợn".
- Câu chuyện kinh dị ấy nghe xong rợn người. (That horror story is terrifying to listen to.)