Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Extremely sharp or keen: Describes a blade, edge, or point that is honed to a fine, acute sharpness, often implying a dangerous or effective cutting quality.
   • Sharp, biting, or incisive: Used figuratively to describe words, wit, or criticism that is penetrating, harsh, and cutting.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Lưỡi dao này sắc lẹm. (This knife blade is extremely sharp.)
  • Anh ta có lời nói sắc lẹm. (He has sharp, biting words.)
  • Mũi tên sắc lẹm xuyên qua lá chắn. (The keen arrowhead pierced through the shield.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "sắc lẹm" is often used in a comparative or emphatic sense to denote a degree of sharpness beyond the standard adjective "sắc" (sharp). It carries a connotation of precision and potential severity.

Variants and Related Words

• Sắc (adj): Sharp, keen. The root adjective without the emphatic intensity.
• Sắc bén (adj): Sharp, acute, incisive. Often used interchangeably with "sắc lẹm," especially in figurative contexts for intellect or criticism.
• Lẹm (adj): This standalone word is rarely used in modern Vietnamese except in the compound "sắc lẹm" to intensify the meaning of sharpness.

Synonyms

• Razor-sharp: Having a very sharp edge like a razor.
• Keen: Having a sharp edge or point; also, intellectually acute.
• Biting: Harsh or cutting, especially in speech or tone.
• Incisive: Clear, sharp, and direct, especially in analysis or expression.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Lưỡi sắc lẹm: A "sharp tongue," meaning a tendency to speak in a harsh, critical, or sarcastic manner.
  • Cô ấy nổi tiếng với lưỡi sắc lẹm. (She is famous for her sharp tongue.)
• Trí tuệ sắc lẹm: Incisive or keen intellect.
  • Nhà phê bình có trí tuệ sắc lẹm. (The critic has an incisive intellect.)