Definition

1. Noun:

   • The beauty and allure of a woman: Refers specifically to the captivating physical beauty and charm of a woman, often with a poetic or classical nuance.
   • Sharpness; acuity: Describes keenness, sharpness, or astuteness, particularly of the mind or perception.

2. Adjective:

   • Sharp; astute; perceptive: Used to describe someone who is mentally quick, shrewd, or has a penetrating understanding.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Beauty):
  • Cô ấy có sắc nước hương trời. (She possesses a heavenly, captivating beauty.)
• Noun/Adjective (Sharpness):
  • Anh ấy chơi cờ với một sắc nước lạ thường. (He plays chess with remarkable sharpness.)
  • Nhà phê bình đó có cái nhìn rất sắc nước. (That critic has a very sharp perspective.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is most famously used in the classical, poetic phrase "sắc nước hương trời", which elevates the description of beauty to an almost divine, ethereal level.
• In modern contexts, when used to mean "sharp," it often implies a sophisticated or refined acuity, not just basic intelligence.

Variants and Related Words

• Sắc sảo (adj): smart, sharp-witted, clever. This is a more common modern synonym for the "sharp" meaning.
  • Cô ấy là một luật sư sắc sảo. (She is a sharp-witted lawyer.)

Synonyms

• For beauty: allure, charm, pulchritude (literary).
• For sharpness: acuity, astuteness, perspicacity, keenness.

Related Idioms

• Sắc nước hương trời: A set idiom meaning "heavenly beauty; beauty as captivating as nature's essence." It describes transcendent, exceptional beauty.
  • Người ta thường nàng có sắc nước hương trời. (People often say she possesses a heavenly beauty.)

1. Sắc nước hương trời
2. Beauty
3. Sharp
   • Sắc nước cờ
     To be sharp at chess